The Seat Beside Me
by CamiliaAnn
Summary: What if Jackson and Lisa met on a plane as indifferent strangers? Lisa's on a long flight headed overseas for vacation and an unsettling, attractive stranger happens to be seated next to her. J/L M for language, adult content, semi non-con, and angst.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N I'm so excited to start a new story! :-) No, not all chapters will be this short, but I just wanted to set the stage a little. And of course it'll be Jackson/Lisa. I don't know how to write anything else!**

**Let me know what you think of the concept, and even though I have a general outline in my head, I'd love your ideas of where you'd like the storyline to go.**

_Prologue_

_"Well, if you're asking me to be blatantly honest, it's easy to see how attracted you are to me. And I don't understand why you work so hard to hide it." _

_"Because I don't make a habit of getting involved with men I have no future with." _

"_You're thinking too much. Just let things be what they are."_

"_That's a good way to get your heart broken."_

_"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I'm even more attracted to you than you are to me? _

_"Just drop it. _Please_. Why are you torturing me about this?"_

_"Because it's the best way to get what I want."_

Chapter 1

Lisa held out in front of her the soft blue sundress her mother had sent her in honor of her impending vacation. The delicate thin straps and flowing silky material seemed out of place in her closet of business professional attire, but her mom had insisted that Lisa bare a little skin while strolling the beaches of Sydney.

She could still remember the conversation they'd had on the phone after the package had arrived.

"_Mom, I appreciate the gesture. Really. But you know I'm just going to overseas to get away and relax_."

"_Lisa, you could use a good fling with some nice man with an accen_t," the older woman had insisted.

"_Mother!_" Lisa had gasped indignantly.

"_I mean it! All you do is work, and you're too young for that. You should be enjoying life_. _Getting out. Flirting._"

"_That's why I'm taking a _vacation_, Mom. I don't need to find a man there to enjoy myself._"

Her mother had sighed.

"Just promise me if some young handsome thing asks you out while you're there, you'll go. It'll be healthy for you, Li-Li."

"Healthy?"

"Just promise me."

Lisa had sighed and ran her fingers through her loose auburn strands. Well, it'd be easy to avoid getting asked out if she kept to herself. She was taking this vacation to get away and be alone, not meet new people. She got her fill of people at work. And what good would it do to meet someone in Australia anyway?

"Fine, Mom. I promise."

Lisa stuffed the delicate garment into her suitcase next to the modest black tankini she'd purchased for the trip. Getting some time away was long overdue, but it had been difficult to make the decision to take two whole weeks away from her job. It had taken some heavy convincing from the hotel's owner that the place could operate without her for a while.

Why Australia? It was the farthest away she could think of that still seemed appealing to visit. Away from work, away from the worries of her parents, away from her empty apartment. And she'd always wanted to go overseas to a place they still spoke English. She dreamed of lying out on a beautiful sunny beach in a place that wasn't Miami, where no one knew her, filled with people she would never see again. Sipping all the cocktails her heart desired.

Her flight was scheduled to leave out of Miami International Airport early the next morning. Lisa snapped her suitcase shut and headed for the bathroom to prepare for bed.

4:00 AM couldn't come fast enough.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N I do apologize for taking so long to update this story. I just had to get back in the groove, I guess. But now I'm all into it again and you shouldn't have to wait another two months for chapter three! I might recommend going back and reading the first chapter again though since it's been so long. It's pretty short!**

"Traveling alone?"

Lisa turned her head to source of the voice seated next to her, inwardly groaning. The jovial-looking older gentleman beside her had kept glancing in her direction for the past hour, and she had hoped he would keep to himself. Not that she didn't want to be friendly; she was just hoping to rest. The more she slept during the travel, the faster she would be there. But apparently her closed eyelids weren't enough to deter the friendly man.

"Yep, all by myself," Lisa answered with a wide smile. "You?"

"Nope," the man answered, pleased to be talking to her. His rotund form filled the seat, and his gray hair-covered arm leaned a little too far over their shared armrest. His brown eyes were bright and alert, and his bearded face was pleasant. "My wife is a few rows behind us. Taking a trip with the grandkids. We couldn't get our seats together. Shame."

She nodded and scanned the full airplane.

"Yeah…it's a pretty full flight," she murmured, hoping this wasn't the start of a long conversation. He was quiet for a moment, so Lisa leaned back into her seat and again closed her eyes, thankful for the silence.

"So what's waiting for you in L.A.?" he continued, turning his body in her direction.

"Just catching a connecting flight," she answered quickly, bringing her head up again so she wouldn't appear rude. People-pleaser, 24/7.

"To where, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Sydney."

"Sydney…Australia? Really"

"Yes…" Lisa said with another smile at his look of surprise. "Vacation."

The friendly man regarded her.

"That's quite a ways away for a young lady like yourself to travel all by herself, you know."

She inwardly grumbled. Of course he would say something like that. She wasn't _that_ young.

"Oh, don't worry about me. I'm used to doing things on my own," she answered, working to keep her voice sweet."

He was silent again for a moment.

"Had to get away from the boyfriend, eh?" he prodded with a sly smile, elbowing her softly. She knew he was just trying to be friendly, but now he was crossing over into forbidden territory.

"Something like that…" Lisa muttered, reaching for her carry-on bag to dig out her novel. Perhaps that would deter him.

"Well whoever he is, you're probably too good for him anyway," he added, leaning over to whisper as if he was sharing some great secret.

She responded with a counterfeit bashful smile.

"That's sweet of you to say," she said, opening her book and pretending to be instantly engaged in its contents. The older man chuckled softly to himself and turned his head in the other direction, apparently taking the hint.

After reading a few pages, Lisa took the opportunity to close her eyes again and soon drifted off to sleep.

Arrival in L.A. came sooner than she expected. She'd slept the rest of the flight, and thankfully the plane had been quiet. It'd been annoyingly difficult to fall asleep the night before, and she attributed it to nerves. Although she was certainly a grown woman, this was the biggest trip she'd ever taken alone, and it was bound to make anyone a bit anxious. She knew it would be healthy for her though, and she hoped she'd return from the trip refreshed and alive.

She sleepily pulled her carry-on bag behind her through the busy concourse, praying that her luggage wouldn't get lost on its way to her connecting flight to Sydney. Although she was excited to be on vacation, she dreaded the impending hours on another plane. Another 14-hour flight didn't appeal to her, but if that's what it took to get her as far away from Miami as possible, so be it.

The concourse was absolutely jammed with people hurrying to catch their flights, and Lisa worked carefully not to run into anyone or roll her bag over anyone's feet. _People_…why are there always so many _people_? She longed for a wide-open space!

She watched the gates slowly pass as she walked and realized the gate to her next flight was still quite far away. Sighing, she looked down at her boarding pass and remembered she had a two-hour layover anyway. The smells of the various airport eateries wafted through the hall, and she realized how hungry she'd become.

"Perfect," she muttered, her eyes catching the sight of a coffee shop off in the distance. She ran a hand through her dark hair and headed in its direction. It'd be the perfect place to veg until boarding time.

The espresso was surprisingly good. After flipping through her Cosmopolitan magazine and learning about the best swimsuit for her body type, Lisa grew bored and began to scan the crowds. People-watching would be a good way to help pass the time.

A small family rushed by, the young mother holding a screaming infant against her while the frazzled-looking father pulled them through the mass of people. They both looked disheveled and a bit disoriented. Lisa felt a tinge of pity and made another mental note to wait as long as possible to have children. The last thing she needed in her life right now was someone else to take care of.

An older African-American man walked by, well dressed but appearing to be talking to himself. Lisa soon realized he was talking into a Blue Tooth headset. She always thought those made people look so silly…like Trekkies. She made eye contact with him and smiled.

An elderly couple holding hands…a few giggling teenaged girls wearing way too much make up...some flight attendants heading to their next assignment…

After several minutes Lisa looked down at her watch and realized she should probably head over to her gate. Smoothing her soft white skirt she rose to throw away her trash, taking one last glance out into the masses.

She did a double take as her eyes instantly settled on a dark male form walking alone through the crowd. Something about him made him stand out from everyone else. Although his stature wasn't imposing, his body language attracted her eye first. His walk was casual, though he carried his well-built form confidently. His pale blue, lightly patterned button-up shirt was open at the neck, and the sleeves were rolled up a few inches above his wrists. His dark jeans were slightly faded, ending in a pair of black leather shoes. He looked casual, but expensive. Well put-together.

Finally her eyes settled on the brown locks tucked carefully behind his ears, the masculine cut of his jaw, and a set of full lips. His expression was relaxed, and perhaps a bit cocky. He was exquisitely handsome, and Lisa bit her lip and felt a rare tingling in the pit of her stomach. She blinked when she realized she was gawking. She stole her eyes away but quickly flitted them back in his direction, catching the back of him as he headed down the hall. The back was almost as good as the front…

After he was finally out of sight Lisa finally let out the breath she realized she'd been holding. What was wrong with her? He was probably married and headed off to meet his wife in baggage claim. What if she was gawking at a married man? What if he was gay? She shook her head at herself and walked over to shove her cup into the trashcan. Taking a hold of her carryon bag, she glanced at her boarding pass one more time before heading toward her gate.

Lisa searched for a comfortable position in her seat on the plane, thankful that she was placed next to a window. She looked across the wide airplane and watched as the other passengers shoved their carryon bags into the overhead bins and found their seats. She quickly tried to remember what had possessed her to settle for a seat in coach.

_Oh yeah. The thousands of dollar price difference._

She sat back and closed her eyes again. Fifteen hours. Fifteen hours on this plane…

The seat beside her remained empty as the other passengers continued to board. She was hoping for a quiet seatmate, but the prospect of not having one at all was almost too good to be true.

After most everyone had settled into their seats Lisa realized the seat beside her and the seat across the aisle from her appeared to be the only ones still empty. She continued to scan the aisle ways, waiting for someone to emerge. Finally, a frazzled looking woman came rushing down the aisle, her humungous purse smacking into the other passengers as she came. Her mascara had blotched and sunken into the tiny wrinkles around her eyes, and her silver-streaked brunette locks were pulled up into a lazy ponytail. Lisa stiffened and silently prayed that the woman was headed for the seat across the aisle. To her chagrin, the woman plopped down right beside her.

She attempted a smile but the woman was too shaken up from barely catching the flight that she didn't notice. The older woman stuffed her large purse beneath the seat in front of her and quickly fastened her safety belt. After she had situated herself Lisa paused and decided to be friendly. After all, they were going to spend the next several hours together.

"Hi…" Lisa offered. The woman turned her head quickly in Lisa's direction, appearing as if she hadn't even noticed that there was someone beside her.

"Oh…hello," the woman stuttered, still visibly shaken.

"Rough day?" Lisa asked sympathetically. The woman laughed nervously.

"You could say that," she answered, fidgeting. "I'm not used to big airports. Can you believe they had our gate at the absolute end of the concourse? I swear it took an hour just to get to the gate…"

But Lisa barely heard her. Coming down the aisle, in her direction, was the man from outside the coffee shop. She felt herself hold a breath again as she watched him come closer, unable to believe he would actually be the person assigned to the seat across the aisle. How was that possible? To her disbelief, he stopped in front of that exact seat and reached up to put his carryon in the overhead bin. She swallowed hard as she ran her eyes down the back of him…

"…know what I mean?" the woman continued, looking a little puzzled at Lisa's change of expression.

Lisa averted her attention back to her seatmate and tried to get her bearings, unsure why exactly she was so mesmerized. It was ridiculous that she was feeling this way. He was just some random guy.

Was her face getting hot?

"Yes," Lisa persisted, determined to get her heartbeat back to normal pace. "Big airports can be a pain. A necessary evil, I suppose."

The woman carried on nervous conversation, introducing herself as Rhonda, a real estate agent from L.A. She was on her second honeymoon with her husband, whose seat was near the back of the plane. She was upset that they couldn't sit together…

Lisa worked to carry on the conversation, but her eyes kept flitting across the aisle. The handsome stranger hadn't glanced in her direction since he'd sat down, and it annoyed her that she cared. She silently begged him to look over at her while she simultaneously scolded herself for wanting him to. She absent-mindedly smoothed her hair as if eye contact was imminent. But alas, he continued to stare forward, clearly oblivious that his nonchalance was bugging the crap out of a woman across the aisle. Lisa wondered why he was headed to Australia. Vacation? Work? Family? Probably to meet a woman. Again, she scolded herself for even caring and ordered herself to pay attention to Rhonda.

Finally the plane rumbled to life, causing the woman to pause in her extensive description of her two teenaged children.

"Oh god…" the woman muttered, suddenly gripping her armrests and sitting up very straight in her seat.

"Are you okay?" Lisa asked, her brow quickly creased with concern.

"Yes," Rhonda answered quickly, her blotchy eyes squeezed shut. "I'm just…I have a slight fear of flying."

Lisa nodded, understanding.

"I've dealt with that before too," she said as the plane began to back away from the gate. "Is this your first time flying?"

The woman's features went pale as the plane continued to move.

"Yes…err…no," she answered quickly, spitting the words out separately with her eyes tightly shut. "We tried to fly to Dallas once, but we ended up getting off the plane before we took off."

Lisa made a mental note of where the vomit bags were located, just in case.

"So…you've never actually flown before."

Rhonda shook her head back and forth very quickly, and Lisa could see tears were starting to form outside the squeezed eyelids. She felt panicked, wanting to comfort the woman somehow.

"Where is your husband?"

The woman began to breathe heavily as she tightened her seatbelt.

"I think he's in the back." she breathed, her voice breaking slightly. Lisa began to look around quickly for a flight attendant and noticed that a few other passengers had noticed the commotion and were watching them. She saw out of the corner of her eye that the handsome stranger was now paying attention as well, but there was no time for that now.

"I thought I could do this…I thought I was ready…I thought I could do this…" Rhonda mumbled, full tears streaming down her cheeks. "I need to get off this plane…"

"It's okay, Rhonda…just relax," Lisa whispered, patting her on the arm as she continued to search for a flight attendant. She could tell the woman was shaking. There was no flight attendant in sight, as they were probably all secured for takeoff. In her desperation for help, Lisa began to scan the other passengers. Without realizing where her search was taking her, her eyes suddenly met with the most piercing blue eyes she'd ever seen in her life. The handsome stranger looked calmly back at her, and Lisa thought her heart would stop at the unexpected connection. He regarded her for a moment, then looked down at the trembling Rhonda. Without warning he quickly unfastened his seatbelt and headed for the front of the plane. Lisa watched him go as she kept an arm around the terrified woman, and realized he was going for help.

In less than thirty seconds he returned with a flight attendant in tow, then wordlessly took his seat. Rhonda begged the attendant to let her move back to sit with her husband, and after a couple minutes of pleading she was following the attendant to the back of the plane without a word of thanks for Lisa or the man across the aisle.

Lisa assumed the flight staff would ask someone to switch seats, and that person would take the empty seat next to her. But after several minutes as the plane began to take off she realized no one was coming from the back to claim the seat. Slight relief flowed through her, but a new dilemma had arisen: Now there was nothing between her and the man across the aisle. Lisa carefully glanced over at him, hoping to catch another glimpse of those blue eyes or at least be able to thank him for his help. But much to her disappointment he was facing forward again, a relaxed and emotionless look on his handsome face.

She was self-conscious without a barrier between them and felt herself fidget a little. She smoothed her skirt and ran a hand through her hair for the billionth time. They were going to be on this flight for the next fifteen hours, and surely there would be an opportunity to talk to him. But wait – what had she said to her mom? That she wasn't on this trip to meet a man. She meant it, right?

Dammit, this wasn't like her. To feel so vulnerable in front of a stranger. To ache with the need to interact with him. What the hell was wrong with her?

After a few more minutes she dared another careful glance in his direction and realized he still looked as calm and indifferent as ever. Her heart sank a little, when suddenly she saw him take the slightest peak in her direction out of the corner of his eye. Her stomach leapt and she quickly turned her attention back to the front, feeling her face heating a little from embarrassment. Here she was, twenty-eight years old and swooning like a teenager over a cute boy in school. She was an adult, dammit. Why was she being so juvenile?

Embarrassed that he had noticed her ogling him, Lisa ordered herself to relax and reached again for her novel. Getting lost in its pages would help distract her from him. She was not here for that. She was here to relax.

Lisa spent the next several minutes trying to decide if she'd just imagined that slight smirk on his lips when he'd glanced at her.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N I realize this chapter is very short, and I apologize for that. I've just felt so bad that so many people are waiting for me to update, and I wanted to give you SOMEthing. I've honestly just struggled with which direction I want to take this story, and I didn't want to put up a chapter I wasn't happy with. Anyway, it's good to be back. Happy reading!**

The gentle hum of the airplane was soothing and the cabin was full of the murmurs of conversation around her. Lisa looked up from her book after reading a couple short chapters and slowly surveyed the large airplane. Many passengers had discovered the small televisions on the backs of the seats in front of them and were blankly staring at the screens. Sunshine poured into the uncovered windows.

Lisa sipped on the apple juice the stewardess had brought her and realized her mind hadn't been far from the man across the aisle for the last hour. She hoped it was possible to get through the flight without wondering about him the entire time. During the last hour of thought she'd decided it wasn't just that he was strikingly handsome. Maybe it was the confident way he carried himself, or simply the vibe he gave off. He had a mysterious energy about him, and the vibrancy of his blue eyes only added to the intrigue. He seemed like a man of many secrets…

Lisa rolled her eyes at herself and closed the book in her lap. He was just a cute guy. That's all. Her attraction to him was making her imagination run away with her. Physical attraction could make people a bit wacky. Throws off their dopamine levels and such.

She'd refused to even dare another glance across the aisle since the unexpected eye contact, so she wasn't sure if he was awake or asleep. She certainly hadn't heard him speak, even to the person beside him, so he probably wasn't a talkative guy. Perhaps he was stuck up. Of _course_ he had flaws. It was easy to imagine him as perfect when she knew absolutely nothing about him. Maybe he was obsessed with video games. Maybe he spent two hours getting ready every morning. He was probably in love with himself. He was probably a player. Guys who look like that usually are, right?

Sighing, she turned her attention to the small window, enjoying the bright blue sky above and the puffy white clouds below. Although she'd never been a fan of flying, for some reason being 35,000 feet above the earth was refreshing today. It felt like another world.

Nature suddenly called.

_Dammit_.

She ran a hand through her hair when she realized this would be the first of several visits to the airplane lavatory in the many hours left of the flight. Public toilets weren't her thing, but there was no choice. Her stomach flared a bit when she realized she would have to brush next to the blue-eyed man to get to the restroom. It didn't matter that he was probably asleep, otherwise distracted, or was completely indifferent to her presence. Being closer to him would affect her. Suddenly she really wished she knew his name.

_Robert. Jonathan. Damien, perhaps._

After smoothing her hair yet again, she rose slowly and attempted to move gracefully across the empty seat toward the aisle. Her limbs were numb from sitting for so long, and she felt a bit wobbly as she moved. She willed herself not to do anything embarrassing and finally dared a quick glance at the man she was now facing. His head was laid back and his eyes were shut, and the comely face she'd been merely envisioning the last hour was finally alive to her again. Being a bit closer allowed her to see the little details of his face she hadn't noticed before, and his closed eyes made her a bit braver in her admiring.

Before she could realize what was happening, she was falling toward him. Without paying attention to what she was doing, her foot had caught on the back of the seat in front of the empty seat. She grabbed quickly at anything to stop herself from continuing to fall, but her hands only grasped thin air. Her heart lurched with alarm as she fell toward him. While it all happened in less than a second, she felt everything moving in slow motion.

The narrow aisle didn't give her much room to fall, and before she could stop herself, she crashed into him with a small cry. Trying desperately to keep her hands from landing on his legs, she managed to land one hand on his armrest and the other on his shoulder. He awoke with a start and jerked a bit at the sudden contact, and their eyes met. In the split second before true embarrassment washed over her, Lisa's senses came alive. The material of his shirt was soft and his shoulder felt firm. He had a warm, spicy scent. The slightest hint of cologne. His intense blue eyes were on her again.

His expression was surprised but not annoyed, and after his eyes had focused on her his eyebrows rose a bit. The look lasted a beat longer than necessary and it seemed like he was studying her.

Finally Lisa felt deep color flush her cheeks as she dropped her gaze.

"Sorry," she mumbled, pushing herself up quickly as a string of obscenities ran through her mind.

He embarrassed her further by helping her up a bit.

"You alright?" he asked in a rich voice, a tickle running through her at hearing him speak for the first time. His hand grasped her upper arm to steady her. She was too disconcerted by the entire incident to fully digest the fact that he was touching her.

"I'm fine, thank you," she answered quickly, giving just enough eye contact to be polite before she broke away and headed for the back of the plane. She couldn't bear to see a look of amusement on his face at her clumsiness. She instantly regretted glancing at other passengers as she walked down the aisle, inevitably seeing grins and an occasional look of concern. After she finally reached the lavatories and realized with relief that one was unoccupied.

The cold lavatory was bigger than she'd imagined. A careful inspection of the toilet seat had assured her that it was dry, and there was still plenty of space between her knees and the door when she sat down. The faint smell of antiseptic mixed with cherry filled the air, which wasn't particularly enticing, but she supposed it was better than the other potential lavatory odors.

While washing her hands she inspected herself in the mirror and quickly attempted some damage control, suddenly caring about her appearance. She'd forgotten to bring her purse that contained her compact and hairbrush, so she made do with her hands. She ran her fingers quickly through her locks and wiped mascara from under her eyes. All in all, she didn't look too bad. Her cheeks were still a faint shade of pink from the embarrassment of her fall. Another tickle traveled through her stomach when she relived seeing his eyes up close and hearing the deep richness of his voice. She shivered, brushing her hands up and down her arms. God, was _lust_ at first sight a thing?

She prepared herself to exit the lavatory, bracing herself that she was going to have to face him again.

She walked slowly back to her seat, intent on reaching it without entertaining the other passengers with another act of clumsiness. As she approached her section of the plane her eyes scanned the area she expected the blue-eyed man to be sitting a few rows up, but oddly, he was gone. She stopped and blinked at his empty seat, then decided he must've headed for the lavatories at the front of the plane.

Turning her attention toward her own seat, she gasped slightly when she realized the man had sat in the empty seat next to hers. That couldn't really be him – could it? She blinked and looked back and forth between the two seats, trying to think of some sort of explanation for why he had moved. He appeared to doing some work on a laptop. She hesitated, unsure how to proceed. She stood dumbly in the middle of the aisle, her heart beginning to pound…

"You okay, lady?" a slightly irritable voice asked beside her. She turned quickly toward the source, a middle-aged balding man with a furrowed brow. He gave her a mild glare, clearly put out by her hovering next to his seat.

"Fine. Thanks. Sorry," she muttered, propelling herself toward her seat. She walked slowly, trying to think of something to say when she reached him. Should she be apologetic for falling into him? Flirtatious? Angry at his presumption that he could sit next to her?

Finally she reached her row. He didn't notice her at first, his fingers flying over the keys of his laptop. She inadvertently glanced at the screen, knowing it was none of her business. Was that…French?

"Excuse me," she said softly when he didn't look up at her. His head flicked up and their eyes met again. He seemed pleased to see her, causing Lisa's stomach to flip. She willed her cheeks to stay a normal color.

"You're back," he said with a slight smile, closing his laptop and standing to let her slide into her seat. She hesitated for a moment then mumbled a thank you as she numbly took her seat. He then plopped down beside her, the rush of air giving her another whiff of his scent. She settled into her seat and tucked her skirt beneath her thighs. Being this near him was almost more than she could handle. She summoned her confidence and willed herself to remain calm.

"I assume you've recovered from your little accident?" he asked good-naturedly.

Her cheeks lit a soft shade of pink as she turned to face him, put off that his intense blue eyes were just a couple feet away. She attempted a coy smile.

"Yeah, thanks," she answered. "I'm sorry for running into you."

"No apology necessary," he stated with a slight wave of his hand. He reached down for his laptop again and set it on the little fold-down table in front of him, apparently signaling the end of their conversation.

She was a little incredulous that he didn't offer any justification for his presence. Not that she was complaining, but it was too odd a move not to explain. His fingers flew over the keys again, and he seemed completely engrossed in his work. She fidgeted slightly and looked out the window, uncomfortable with the unexplained.

"Not that I mind at all, but is there any particular reason you decided to join me over here?" she finally asked with a light tone when her curiosity got the best of her.

He regarded her for a moment with a look on his face she couldn't quite interpret. His piercing eyes seemed to look straight into her caused a deep tickle in her stomach. She both wanted him to stare and needed him to look away.

"What's your name, love?" he asked softly, running his eyes over her features. She was a little taken aback that he ignored her question, but quickly didn't care.

"Lisa," she answered, slightly mesmerized by the bizarre chemistry between them.

"Lisa," he tested on his tongue, the sound of his rich voice saying her name causing an indescribable flutter in her chest. He closed his laptop again.

"Jackson," he offered, holding out his hand.

She shook it, basking in the small contact.

_Jackson._

"I hope you don't mind," he continued, then leaned in a little closer as if to offer a secret. "My seatmate was a bit of a bore. And it's too long of a flight for that."

She realized it was a lousy explanation because she'd never even heard him attempt to speak to his seatmate, but it didn't matter. He could make up reasons for wanting to sit next to her all he wanted.

"It's okay," she said with a slight smile. "I don't mind at all."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Remember back in December, when you all got an email indicating I'd posted chapter 4, and then it wasn't there? Sorry about that. After I'd gotten a chance to really look at it (and after getting some helpful feedback from my beta), I realized it had a lot of flaws that needed attention. I've read over and tweaked and rewritten this chapter so much that I'm getting tired of looking at it. I've decided to post anyway, because dammit, I'm not going to make my readers wait another couple months as it just sits on my laptop, waiting to be read. haha So here it is! I do hope you enjoy it! I appreciate your honest/helpful/friendly feedback.**

**I realized it's difficult to just have Jackson and Lisa **_**talking**_**. As in, just getting to know each other, regular conversation without much story going on around them. But in order to get them to where I want them in the story, this chapter was necessary. It's much harder than I thought! It's honesty what's held me back. By the way, I promise you'll enjoy where this story is going. I love what I have planned for these two; it's just the getting them there that's tricky! (btw, hugs and appreciation to EmpireX – my wonderful beta reader!)**

A baby was crying.

Distracted, Lisa looked up from her book to find the source of the noise. Who would bring a baby onto a 14-hour-flight? How was that even _legal_? A few rows in front of them a young mother was frantically trying to quiet the child, murmuring softly and attempting to get the baby to take a pacifier. The little boy screamed louder and spat it out.

While Lisa was sympathetic to the little family, the cries were grating on her nerves. She sighed and tried to focus on the sentence she'd been trying to read for the past five minutes.

"You have a family, Lisa?"

She looked over at her seatmate, slightly surprised to hear him speak. He hadn't said a word to her for the past hour or so since their initial introduction, diligently working on whatever was so incredibly pressing on his laptop. She'd wondered why he had come to sit with her and then not speak to her. Part of her wished to break that laptop in two.

"No," she answered with a slight smile, pleased to be interacting with him again. "Well, no kids. I have my parents."

He nodded.

"You?" she asked back, realizing she didn't even know if he was single. Granted, he wore no wedding ring, but that didn't necessarily mean anything.

Slight humor lit his bright eyes.

"No, " he said with a smirk. "I'm not really cut out for that sort of thing."

"Really? What makes you say that?"

He turned his gaze from her and looked like he was considering his answer.

"Well, mostly because of my work. I'm on the road a lot. Most of the time, in fact."

Lisa nodded and glanced down at the Rolex on his wrist.

"What do you do?" he asked, turning himself towards her with raised eyebrows. The laptop remained open with clear French text gracing the screen. Now she really wished she'd paid attention in French class in high school.

"Well actually, I – "

"Wait," he commanded quickly, holding a hand up. "Let me guess."

She smiled hesitantly.

"If you want."

His eyes narrowed teasingly as he studied her, prompting another blush. She worked to hold his gaze. She wondered if she'd ever get used to his eyes over the next several hours.

"You're in business," he proclaimed after a moment.

She smiled and shook her head.

"That is entirely too general," she scolded.

"But you are in business?"

She hesitated.

"Yes."

He sat back, studying her further.

"You own a restaurant."

She laughed, and the sound seemed to please him.

"No," she replied. "I have no interest in food service."

"So you're a stock broker," he tried again, his face serious. She laughed again, realizing he was teasing her.

"I work for a hotel," she corrected.

"That was my next guess."

"Right."

"And what do you do for this hotel?"

Lisa looked away and considered her answer. What did she do for the hotel? Everything except actually scrub the toilets.

"I'm a manager. I basically just oversee the day-to-day."

He nodded with raised eyebrows, and Lisa wondered if he was truly impressed or just being polite. She hoped he would be, as she was proud of how much she'd accomplished at such a young age. Most of the other managers at work were nearly twice as old as she was.

"Do you enjoy it?" he continued in his smooth voice.

She sighed.

"I suppose I do, although I'm very happy to get away for a while." She realized she was relaxing a little around him.

"Is that why you're headed to Sydney? To get away?"

She smiled at him.

"You ask a lot of questions," she chuckled, wondering at this sudden onslaught of curiosity.

"You're the most interesting thing on the plane," he shrugged, unrepentant. She regarded him carefully, choosing to assume he didn't mean that flirtatiously. He was probably just being kind.

"Well to answer your question, I'm going on vacation."

"Okay. To Australia…" he prompted with curiosity in his voice.

Lisa smiled and looked out the window

"As far away as possible," she said wistfully.

He was silent for a moment, and Lisa opened her mouth to ask about his reasons for the trip.

"So who all are you traveling with?" he interrupted before she could speak. She quickly lowered her eyes, finding herself slightly embarrassed to answer about something she'd been so proud of before. Would he think she was strange for going on vacation alone?

"No one…I'm going by myself."

He raised an eyebrow, an act that she found incredibly appealing for some reason.

"Really?"

"Really," she answered, hoping he'd notice her independence and not assume she suffered from antisocial tendencies. "I just needed to get away. I spend so much time with people all day that I really wanted some time alone. My job's a bit…stressful…at times."

He was quiet again.

"I've been talking about myself so much," she observed. "What are you headed to Sydney for?"

He jerked his head toward his laptop.

"Work."

She glanced again at the foreign text, an act that didn't seem to bother him. He had a job that took him overseas?

"Wow," she said sincerely, halfway irritated that he'd given her yet another reason to be ridiculously attracted to him.

"So you speak French," she observed.

He nodded with a twinkle in his eye. Lisa was sure being bi-lingual was a smash hit with the ladies for him. A tiny pang of jealousy tinged her stomach.

"Do you speak any other languages?"

"Umm…" he hesitated, then mumbled to himself as he counted quickly with his fingers. "Seven."

She gaped at him.

"Really," she said, slightly disbelieving.

"I told you I'm on the road a lot," he explained. "Most of my work requires me to travel out of the country."

"But seven languages?"

He just looked steadily back at her.

"Which ones?"

"Now don't make me think of them all," he chuckled.

She studied him. Really? Well, he was clearly fluent in French…

"And what do you exactly, Jackson?" she asked, suddenly realizing he hadn't told her.

He blinked at the sound of his name.

"Management."

She paused and waited for him to continue.

"With what company?" she prompted.

"Believe me, you've never heard of it," he assured her.

She blinked at him, a little insulted at his assumption.

"Try me," she commanded, crossing her arms.

He laughed and rattled off a few words in some language she couldn't understand. Hearing his tongue trill over the syllables captivated her slightly. She quickly recovered.

"What was _that_?"

"Arabic."

"No, I meant what does it _mean_?"

"That wasn't part of the deal," he teased, his full lips curled into a half smile. "You just asked for the name of the company."

Her eyes narrowed. So that was the game. _Fine_.

"Hmm," she murmured, studying him with a furrowed brow as he looked pleasantly back at her.

His face suddenly dropped.

"Don't move," he commanded. She froze, and her eyes widened when he began to move his hand toward her face.

"What?" she whispered, terrified that there was something alive in her hair.

"Shhh…" he hissed, brushing a slightly rough finger slowly over her cheek. A flutter of butterflies unleashed in her chest at his touch. His mouth dropped slightly as he concentrated on his mission, and she could only stare at him. He had a beautiful mouth.

"Eyelash," he explained, presenting it on the tip of his finger with a smirk on his face.

She let out the breath she'd been holding and scowled at him, unable to decide if she was actually irritated.

"It's easy to exasperate you," he announced, looking pleased with himself as he ran his eyes over her from head to toe. "This is going to be fun."

Time passed slowly on the plane, or quickly, if she remembered that once they landed in Sydney her newfound paramour might be gone forever. They'd been talking non-stop for the past couple hours, even throughout the meal and time when everyone else had fallen silent. She realized as the conversation went on that he never elaborated much on himself, and mainly just reflected her own questions back to her. It was difficult to determine if he was being intentionally mysterious or was simply a very private person. Regardless, she'd grown more at ease with him as the minutes had passed, and the intense mesmerizing attraction she'd initially felt for him was relaxing into a comfortable slow burn. While a 14-hour flight had at first seemed like a daunting test of her endurance, now she never wanted it to end. She realized this was the first time in a long time that she'd actually had time to really have a conversation a man that wasn't her father. In that regard it was refreshing, even if you took away the fact that that man was alluringly handsome and intelligent. It felt good to just _talk_ to someone.

But, there was a distraction.

"Really…_what_ are you working on?"

Jackson had been off and on typing away on his laptop every time there was a lull in their conversation. She figured it might be impolite to ask about it, but she was starting to become jealous of the French text that graced the screen. It was almost getting more attention than she was.

"Just a report," he said dismissively, not turning his head.

"For work?"

"Yes."

She paused.

"And I'm assuming it must be finished soon?"

"Yep."

She twiddled her fingers in her lap, her curiosity winning over her sense that he didn't want to talk about it.

"What are you reporting on exactly?"

He stopped typing and turned to look at her, a somewhat exasperated look on his face. She smiled prettily, hoping to charm him into telling her.

"I'd tell you…" he said with solemn expression, brushing his eyes over her. She loved and hated when he did that. "But then I'd have to kill you."

He said it so convincingly it actually sent a shiver down her spine, his cool eyes enhanced the chilling effect. Quickly recovering, she stared at him with a skeptical look until he finally smirked.

"It's a report on my last project," he finally conceded.

"Ahh…" she sighed, pleased to pull some information from him. "And did your last project go well?"

He smirked at her, a strange twinkle in his eye.

"Yes, it did. Better than we expected, in fact."

"Good."

He turned back to the laptop, apparently assuming the matter was closed.

Lisa paused, her nostrils suddenly catching another hint of his very male scent.

"So is your company located in France…or perhaps Quebec?" she persisted, her curiosity still not satisfied.

"Have you ever been to France, Lisa?" he asked unexpectedly, turning his eyes on her.

She blinked at him.

"No…Have you?"

"Yes, a few times," he said with a smile.

"For work?"

He hesitated.

"Yes, and for other reasons. I told you I travel a lot."

"Yes, you mentioned that," she replied, running her eyes over his handsome features and wondering why he chose to be so mysterious.

His eyes turned toward the window they shared, the light catching the intense blue. He looked back at her, his brow furrowed slightly.

"I apologize if I seem rude," he started. "I don't want you to think I'm not enjoying our conversation, because believe me, I am…"

Her stomach tickled.

"Me too," she suddenly cut in, her eyes widening slightly at herself for being so bold.

He just gave a quick smile.

"But isn't there anything else you'd like to talk about?" he asked.

She smiled, choosing to stop torturing him. Let him keep his secrets.

"Well…" she began. "I never really thanked you for helping Rhonda."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Rhonda?"

"The lady…from takeoff…"

Realization lit his eyes.

"Oh yes…Rhonda," he chuckled, turning toward the aisle.

"That was nice of you…to go get help…" she added.

"Oh," he said with a sideways smile. "Thanks. To be honest, that was more for selfish reasons than anything else."

"Really?" she asked, cocking her head at him. "How could that have been selfish?"

"I just didn't want the flight to be delayed. If she had completely cracked and they had to pull back up to the gate to let her off, it would've wasted a lot of time."

She studied him.

"Do you have a connecting flight in Sydney or something?"

"No. I'm just on a deadline."

"A deadline?"

"For work," he answered with a disbelieving laugh, apparently at the fact that the conversation had turned once again to his profession.

"We don't have to talk about it," she said with a smile.

He nodded and ran a hand through his hair, and she realized it was incredibly appealing to her when he seemed thrown off balance. He gave an impression of such arrogance, like nothing could get to him. To see a slightly vulnerable side to him intrigued her.

It grew silent between them, and Lisa realized the flight attendants were coming through with the beverage cart yet again. Other passengers seemed thoroughly engaged in whatever movie was showing on the small screens in front of them. But her seatmate was far more interesting.

"It's your turn," Jackson commanded, looking sleepy as he laid his head back against the seat, eyes closed.

Lisa smiled and brushed her hair from her eyes as she tried to think of another question for him. A game had been his idea about an hour ago, she was sure just to help pass the time. _Would You Rather…? _had been the winner.

"Would you rather have to eat worms or cockroaches?"

He sighed.

"Miss Lisa, that one is so cliché. You can do better than that."

She smiled. He'd been much better at coming up with good questions than she'd been, and he was quick to call her out on it.

"Picky, picky."

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly but his eyes remained closed.

"Would you rather…" she began, racking her brain. "Trip an old lady…or kick a puppy?"

He immediately straightened and turned to look at her with wide eyes.

"What the hell kind of question is that?" he demanded with a crooked smile.

"The game is would-you-rather, Jackson," she teased. "Don't ask questions. Just answer."

Jackson playfully scowled and leaned back to contemplate his answer. He had eased noticeably as time passed, and his more light-hearted side had emerged. She liked it.

"Trip an old lady," he finally said.

"And you have to explain why."

"Because I like dogs. And I hated my grandma."

She laughed but noted that he didn't seem to be joking.

"That's awful," she noted, still smiling.

"Not really," he said with a cocked head. "She would've deserved it."

Her face dropped slightly but he was smiling now, so she gave a nervous laugh.

"Hmm," was her only response, as she was unable to tell if he was teasing her. She decided he must simply be a good actor. "Nice," she added. "Your turn."

He paused for a moment.

"Would you rather sit for 14 hours on a plane next to somebody that smelled bad or somebody that wouldn't shut up?" he asked quickly.

She laughed.

"Hmmm…somebody that smelled bad," she answered teasingly. He chuckled and smelled himself.

"I can shut up and go wash off my deodorant if you'd like," he suggested in all seriousness, gesturing toward the back of the plane.

"Don't do that," she said, shaking her head at him with a smile. "You smell very nice."

Her face dropped when she realized she was clearly flirting with him. He just openly smiled at her, unembarrassed.

"Thanks," he said, studying her.

She turned her head to look out the window again, inwardly scolding and reminding herself to keep her guard up somewhat. What kind of impression would she give of herself if she fawned all over him? She needed to reel it in a bit.

It was silent for a moment. She heard him shift in his seat toward her, so she turned to face him. His blue eyes, intense even in the dim lighting of the plane, turned soft into a look Lisa could only interpret as admiring. She felt a slight blush light her cheeks and she quickly turned her gaze.

"What?" she asked, staring at the window.

"I have another one for you," he said in a low voice.

Her mind quickly went back to their game.

"Okay," she said, making eye contact again. She felt another deep tickle in her stomach because the look on his face hadn't gone away. Her mouth quickly went dry.

He hesitated as he studied her, his eyes dropping to her cheek.

"You have such beautiful skin," he said softly, almost to himself, as he slowly lifted his hand to tuck some hair behind her ear. Her eyes widened and she shrank back a little at the touch, but it didn't deter him. His eyebrow rose, seemingly intrigued, and he let his fingers linger a bit on her ear, touching it as if it were delicate. His eyes followed the movement of his hand until his gaze brushed down to her neck, then back up to her eyes. He seemed slightly mesmerized.

Her face flushed red. Was she imagining this?

"Would you rather…" he began, leaning in and speaking softly to her slightly hypnotized expression. "…I continue touching you or keep my hands to myself?"

Her mouth dropped slightly at the audacious question, and a fresh rush of butterflies released from deep within her stomach throughout every inch of her.

"Jackson…" she practically whispered, her tone meant to be scolding. Instead she just found intense pleasure in saying his name. But he needed to stop. This was too much. Too soon.

He looked patiently back at her, apparently realizing his question would take a moment to digest. He finally took his hand away from her face.

"That was presumptuous of you," she breathed, finally finding her voice.

"Not really," he argued, his eyes still charming. "I'm not trying to be presumptuous. That's why I asked you what you'd prefer."

Her mouth opened and closed a couple times, as she couldn't find words to rebuke him further. She now had proof that he reciprocated her interest, but his intentions were now in question. As attracted as she was to him, it felt too soon for him to be coming on to her like this. Something wasn't right. She wasn't ready for this.

"Listen," she began, a somewhat scolding lilt in her voice as she worked to recover her nerves.

He seemed displeased with her tone, and his brow furrowed. Before she could continue, he brought his hand to her face and softly ran his fingers down her smooth cheek, as if to test her.

She froze again, unwilling to stop him. Even that chaste touch from him caused electricity to course through her.

He watched her shiver and seemed pleased again.

"See," he said softly, soothingly as his eyes held hers. "That's not so bad."

"You shouldn't do that," she said stiffly, her heart pounding.

"Why not?" he challenged, his voice still low as he pulled his hand back.

"We're in public." She realized the argument sounded weak.

He looked around the plane, and she also realized that everyone near them was either asleep or otherwise engaged. He looked back at her with a sardonic expression.

"No one is paying attention to us, Lisa."

"And because we barely know each other," she argued, trying to convince herself of it too. "This isn't…wise."

His brow furrowed, seemingly confused.

"Lisa, we've been talking for hours. What more do you need to know?" It was clear he didn't mean that question hypothetically, and was truly curious.

She studied him and realized that hours before, when she first saw him in the airport, that she could've imagined his hands all over her. But now that he had become real, she felt a sense of caution. This man was still mysterious to her, and she wanted to take things slowly. She resented his assumption that she was okay with him touching her after meeting just a few hours ago.

The silence became uncomfortably long as she searched for a response.

"Would you like something to drink?" a strangely cheerful voice said beside them. They both jerked toward the source of the voice, a male flight attendant that had come up beside their row with his drink cart without either of them noticing.

Lisa blinked at the man, attempting to gather her thoughts enough to respond. Jackson recovered more quickly.

"Please," he said politely. "Rum and coke."

The attendant nodded and looked expectantly at Lisa.

"Water," she said stiffly. "Please."

The awkwardness was palpable, at least for Lisa, for several minutes after their drinks were served. As soon as Jackson finished his drink, he whipped out his laptop for the first time in a few hours. She listened to his fingers fly across the keys as she stared out the window. The plane was surprisingly quiet, and Lisa offhandedly wondered if anyone around them had been paying attention to their conversation.

"You never really answered my question," he said softly, not turning his head from the screen.

"I thought my answer was obvious," she replied with an edge to her voice, feeling her face heating.

He chuckled softly to himself, still typing away.

"I figured you would've come to your senses by now."

Lisa huffed.

"You are incredibly sure of yourself, aren't you?" she whispered harshly, turning to look at him.

"Only when I'm sure the woman reciprocates," he said without hesitation, turning to face her and making brief eye contact, his smile gone. He turned back to his work.

"You assume a hell of a lot," she snapped, annoyed at his arrogance. She felt instantly contrite for her tone, but his ensuing silence spiked her irritation again. She stiffened defensively. He was ruining this. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. She'd long forgotten her original promise to herself that she wasn't on this trip to meet a man. They were supposed to have a wonderful time just getting to know one another on the plane, then he would politely ask her out for a drink when they landed, then…

Now she felt the need to backpedal.

"I think you're misinterpreting things," she continued, turning back toward the window. The words sounded ridiculous even to her own ears.

He snorted.

"_Misinterpreting_? What could I possibly be misinterpr –"

He stopped himself, then was still for several moments and said nothing. A few awkward moments passed. The tapping on the keyboard had stopped.

"Perhaps I am," he said in an even tone.

She turned to him with a furrowed brow. He still faced forward, but appeared truly contemplative. After a silent moment, he turned to face her again.

"I was being impetuous," he said matter-of-factly. "I didn't mean to upset you. I hope you can forgive me for jumping the gun on this."

She was slightly taken aback at his sudden apology, but his blue eyes seemed truly repentant. She suddenly felt a bit silly for having gotten so upset.

"It's alright…"

"I assume you get tired of getting hit on all the time," he interrupted with a crooked smile that caused another tickle in her stomach.

She could've sworn she saw a hint of jealously cloud his eyes, and it was crazy to her that he could possibly think she could categorize him with any other man who might hit on her. A light blush lit her cheeks as she fully digested that he had openly expressed attraction to her. Why was she rejecting what should make her absurdly happy?

It was silent again, and the keyboard tapping resumed.

"Would you prefer if I changed seats?" he suddenly asked, still focused on the screen in front of him.

Lisa blinked at him, unable to fathom the thought.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable," he continued in her silence. "And technically I invaded _your_ space, so…"

"You don't need to move," she said quickly, unthinkingly placing her hand on his arm in her earnest. They both looked down at her hand before she quickly brought it back to her lap. "Really. I overreacted," she continued, waving her hand nonchalantly. "It's fine. Really."

He studied her with a subtly pleased expression.

"Okay. Thanks."

She gave him a muted smile and turned away to let out the breath she'd apparently been holding. How did _that_ happen? Why this man had such power over her emotions was a mystery to her. How could she let a man she'd known for just a matter of hours affect her so easily?

_Who am I kidding? He's been affecting me since I first laid eyes on him…_

After a few quiet minutes he glanced at her with a crooked smile and she felt the now-familiar burn for him flare inside her again, the awkward moment between them passing. She knew very well that something deep within her _wanted_ him. But it was too soon; something held her back. She hoped she hadn't completely discouraged future advances by rejecting him so soon. The timing was just off.

"So…" he began in a low voice after several moments, leaning toward her slightly. The nearness brought his scent back to her nostrils again, warming her. "Would you rather… be invisible or be able to read minds?"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Yes! It's me again! Ha! It may take me forever to finish this story, but finish it I will!**

**Remember the very beginning of the story, the prologue, that implied a conversation between J/L ? Well, my original intention was to work that into this chapter, but the way things were flowing didn't really allow me to insert it verbatim. So I'd like to think that this chapter has the "spirit" of the prologue in it. It'll all make sense.**

**Please enjoy!**

The overwhelming boredom and sense of claustrophobia were starting to get to Lisa. Her body felt cramped and stiff, and her mind was tired and restless. The book she'd brought was long finished, and she wished she'd had the foresight to bring more than one novel with her. She looked over at her seatmate. His head was laid back and his eyes were closed, but she was almost certain he wasn't asleep. Lisa ran her eyes up and down him for the thousandth time. His look had become somewhat unkempt as the hours had passed, his brown locks mussed and his blue collared shirt rustled. His arms clutched a small airline pillow to his chest. Her eyes rested on his full mouth, and she found her thoughts fleeting to the last time she'd been kissed. How long had it been? She shook her head at herself, dismissing the thought.

Their conversation had remained somewhat light after he had blatantly come on to her, which Lisa appreciated. Although he had kept giving her some looks that made her stomach curl. After she'd been given some time to think about the awkward exchange, she realized she was simply afraid to let him get too close. It was silly to think that their newfound friendship would last any longer than the flight, and she didn't care for the thought of getting attached to this handsome creature then having to let go of him so quickly. It bothered her that it had become more for her than simply being physically attracted to him; she realized she actually _liked_ him. He was gorgeous and intelligent and charming and successful… She would kill to actually get to know him better, and it frustrated her that it was basically impossible.

She blinked when she remembered again that she was going to be on vacation once they landed. The resort, the beach, the sights… Alone, just like she'd wanted. Only…she didn't want that as much anymore. Spending so much time with Jackson made her solo vacation suddenly seem…less desirable.

She shook her head at herself. This didn't change a thing. She had a successful career, wonderful family, and she was perfectly happy with the way things were. Her vacation was going to be wonderful, even without…him...

The plane was quiet, and it was boring. Jackson was quiet and still, the movie being shown on the tiny screens was dull, she'd already read the in-flight magazine, and her book was finished. Lisa rubbed her eyes and decided it might be a good idea to sleep a little, to help the time pass. Her stomach clenched lightly at the thought, because of its obvious implications.

_It doesn't matter anyway._

She pulled a sweater from her bag and crushed it into a ball to serve as a pillow. Placing it against the window, she lay her head down and curled up. Sleep came quickly.

ooo

_Warm…soft…_

There was a soft drumming. What _was_ that?

A pleasant scent filled her nostrils. It was comforting…alluring. She wanted more of it, so she moved toward it.

_Mmm…nice…_

She felt a soothing touch on her shoulder.

There was a sense of warmth, like the feeling she'd get when her father would hug her.

_Dad_?

She must be dreaming of him.

Coherence came slowly. She gradually began to realize that the faint drumming was a heartbeat, and the stroking on her shoulder was a hand brushing her skin.

_Oh my god._

She shot up quickly, and Jackson jerked his head toward her and pulled the arm away that had been wrapped around her.

"Ahh…you're awake."

She stared at him, mortified. Her heart pounded, a strange thrill blossoming within her, and she was unable to speak. He looked pleasantly back at her, charmed.

"What's the matter?" he asked somewhat innocently, his blue eyes amused.

Her brow furrowed at him.

"Why was I laying on you?" she asked, horrified and almost certain it was his fault. Did he pull her to him while she slept? He didn't have permission to do that.

"Hell, I don't know," he said with a smile. "You just started moving around in your seat and eventually cuddled up to me, so I went with it."

She studied him. If so, it was clear that although in full consciousness she could resist this man's advances, her subconscious was not so strong. She'd never snuggled up to a stranger on a plane in her life.

"Sorry about that," she mumbled, smoothing her hair and attempting to compose herself. How embarrassing.

"What for?"

She turned to him with wide eyes, her mind still a bit hazy from the nap. "What do you mean 'what for'?"

"Lisa, we've spent the last several hours sitting eight inches apart on this plane. That has to establish some level of familiarity," he explained in his rich voice. "So believe me…it's okay if you lean on my shoulder."

She didn't answer him, not wanting to explain again why they shouldn't be touching, and turned her head away and looked out the window.

"Why do you keep doing that?" he grumbled in a tone she'd never heard from him before. She looked at him in surprise.

"Doing what?"

"Turn away from me when I say something you don't like," he explained, his handsome brow furrowing in frustration.

She considered claiming that she wasn't upset with his words, but knew he'd know she was lying.

"Well what would you want me to do? Argue with you?"

"Sure. At least that would give me a better sense of who you are. You're too damned polite all the time. Too damned guarded."

She blinked at him, taken aback by the sudden lack of decorum.

"What's wrong with being polite?"

He snorted at her question and turned away, giving an incredulous laugh. It dawned on her that he was probably annoyed at her for rejecting him again, but she'd never seen him react this way before. Something had gotten to him.

"Something wrong?" she probed.

He hesitated and turned back to look at her, and she felt pierced by the sudden intensity of his gaze.

"We're running out of time," he answered, searching her face with his eyes. "And it's pissing me off."

He emphasized the last few words, though quietly enough to keep their conversation just between them. Her eyes widened at him, her heart suddenly pounding at his intensity.

"What are you talking about?'

He hesitated again and ran a hand through his hair. Lisa watched the locks fall back into his eyes and waited for him to continue.

"We land in a few hours," he stated.

"Yes…" she responded, suddenly wondering how long she'd been asleep.

"Then this is over," he continued dejectedly, his expression serious as he studied her.

She didn't like where this conversation was going, but just crinkled her brow at him in confusion.

He appeared to be searching for the right words to make her understand.

"Lisa…" he said, seemingly caressing the name with his tongue as he leaned a bit closer to her. "Have you ever heard of kinesics?"

"Kinesics?"

"Yes. The science of body language. It's part of my job. I'm kind of an…expert."

She blinked at the seemingly benign information, but then her stomach flared as the implications slowly came to her. Had he been able to read from her body language everything she'd been trying to keep from him the entire flight?

"I don't think so," she said, trying to maintain composure. "You've barely told me anything about your job," she added, attempting a defensive stab.

"Well it's true," he explained, gauging her reaction. "And you're very easy to read." His voice was heavy with implication.

Her mouth dropped slightly as she fully realized what he was saying, but she quickly recovered and worked to keep an even expression.

"Is that so?" she persisted, her chin lifting slightly. "And what exactly is so easy to read about me?"

He chuckled lightly.

"Well, if you're asking me to be blatantly honest, it's easy to see how much you're attracted to me," he said matter-of-factly, like he hadn't just verbally stripped her naked. "And I don't understand why you work so hard to hide it."

She blushed painfully, wanting to deny it, but knew he would see right through her. Her eyes rolled in frustration and she couldn't help but turn away from him. Suddenly his hand was on her jaw, and he gently turned her head back to face him. She fought the urge to squeeze her eyes shut.

"Stop," she ordered, pulling away and bristling at him for mortifying her. "Why do you have to be such an egotistical…"

"See, this is what I don't understand," he interrupted, clearly frustrated as he dropped his hands to his lap. "We're both adults, Lisa. Why is this so difficult?"

Her mouth opened and closed a couple times, thrown off by the invasive question.

"Jackson…" she began in a guarded tone.

"Are you involved with someone?" he interrupted, point blank.

She blinked and shook her head. Did he think she would just neglect to mention a boyfriend up to this point?

"Then what is it?" he insisted, softening a bit.

She stared at him and realized honesty was probably the best way to go at this point. She tried to come up with an acceptable answer.

"I don't make a habit of getting involved with men that I have no future with," she finally said flatly.

He was quiet for a moment, but didn't refute her words.

"Not everything like this has to turn into something long term," he reasoned, his voice softening. "But that doesn't mean we act like it doesn't exist."

She didn't respond.

_Yes, it does_.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I'm even more attracted to you than you are to me?" he asked, knocking the wind out of her.

The words seemed unreal. Blood rushed through her system as her heart pounded, bringing her skin to a deeper shade of pink.

"I don't know if that's possible," she breathed toward the window, shocked at her own blatant honesty. He already knew anyway.

When he didn't say anything after a moment she glanced back at him. Their eyes locked and she watched a corner of his full lips rise. His face relaxed, his cobalt eyes sparkling at her. She felt slightly hypnotized, ethereal. This wasn't really happening.

"Now was that so hard?" he asked. "To admit it?"

She looked down and stared at her lap, realizing she was being irrational. She was practically handing her heart to him on a platter for him to devour.

"Yes," she answered, halfheartedly attempting to rebuild her walls.

It was silent for several moments. Then he reached over and took her hand, and she didn't refuse him. She closed her eyes as he gently pressed his lips to the back of her hand, her insides melting at the feeling of his mouth on her skin.

"This is a good way to get your heart broken," she answered, attempting to return to reality as she gently pulled her hand away.

"Only if your expectations of the situation aren't what they should be," he persisted, holding her gaze in a way she couldn't turn away from. "We could spend the next few hours pretending like there's nothing between us, then go our separate ways. Or…" He brought a hand to her face and gently ran his fingers across her cheek, clearly enjoying her reaction. "…we could let ourselves actually enjoy each other these next few hours, understanding that it's temporary."

Lisa digested his words and desperately tried to think past the rushing hormones that were clouding her thoughts. He made it all sound so simple, like there wouldn't be any consequences to what he was implying. She knew better.

"Leese…" he breathed, leaning toward her with a smirk. "You're thinking too much. Just let things be what they are."

His gaze lowered at her mouth, and she froze, suddenly terrified that he would kiss her. Then his eyes just brushed back up to meet hers, and he leaned his head back.

She released a breath and realized she was shaking. Her fingers fidgeted in her lap, and her mind suddenly went back to the conversation she'd had with her mom just yesterday.

_"Lisa, you could use a good fling with some nice man."_

_"Mother."_

_"I mean it! All you do is work. You're young. You should be enjoying life. Going out. Flirting."_

_"That's why I'm taking a _vacation_. I don't need to find a man there to enjoy myself."_

_"Just promise me if some young handsome thing asks you out while you're there, you'll go. It'll be healthy for you."_

Lisa found it rather unusual that what her mom wanted for her had happened so quickly. She hadn't met a man she was this intensely fascinated with in a long time, and the fact that he shared her captivation only increased the improbability. But their chemistry was almost unreal. Her craving for him was conquering her sense of self-preservation.

She quickly tried to justify it in her head. Who cared what happened in a few hours from now? She would be on vacation, away from reality. With plenty of time to forget him…right?

People always did things on vacation they wouldn't normally do, right?

"Leese?"

A chill rushed through her, and she loved the familiarity with which he said her name. Had she really met him just hours before?

Turning to look at him, she noted that his expression was patient and his gaze was steady. He was completely unembarrassed by the situation, so why should she be?

Unable to stop herself, she smiled shyly at him, unequivocally thrilled and powerless to hide it.

He smiled back at her, then gestured for her to lean against him again.

She hesitated. Feeling herself shaking lightly, she slowly leaned over and cuddled herself against him. He brought his arm up to wrap around her. She laid her head on his firm chest and wrapped her free arm around his waist, fully embracing him and breathing in his scent. She let out a sigh once she was fully situated, prompting a chuckle from him.

"Torturous, isn't it?" he whispered to the top of her head, causing her to smile. Embracing him felt comfortable, like things were finally the way they should be. He felt solid and strong. A sense of relief washed over her as she adjusted to the new circumstances of their relationship. Although she was still uncertain, this felt good. _Very_ good.

They sat quietly for several minutes, and she just listened to the beating in his chest and his steady breathing as he gently brushed the skin of her shoulder.

"Ahem," an unknown voice murmured, causing her to lift her head. She stared at the flight attendant and felt her face heat, suddenly uncertain about being caught cuddling a stranger. It was so easy to forget that they were surrounded by people. She quickly sat up, pulling her arm from Jackson.

"Drinks?" the attendant asked politely, clearly unfazed by the display of affection.

"No thanks," Jackson answered quickly.

"Water, please," Lisa asked, suddenly realizing how dry her mouth was. The attendant handed her a small bottle and was on his way.

"You do realize these people don't know us from Adam, Lisa," Jackson reasoned as he watched her gulp her beverage.

"I know that," she said, screwing back on the cap.

"So why are you acting so embarrassed?"

"I'm not embarrassed," she argued, straightening.

He looked at her skeptically.

"I'm just…not used to this sort of thing…in public," she conceded, noting again how charming he looked with his hair all over the place. Damn, he was gorgeous. "I mean, everyone is sitting so close to us. It feels a little weird."

"I told you, no one is paying attention to us or would even care about it if they were. As far as they know, we're on our honeymoon."

Her expression reacted to the thought, causing him to smile. He reached for her chin and leaned into her again.

"You're so lovely when you blush," he murmured, bringing his mouth close to hers. She realized that her first inclination wasn't to pull away, but to lean forward. But she didn't move. Her mouth unconsciously opened slightly in expectation, waiting for his lips. He continued to linger, their breath mingling.

"Am I allowed to kiss you?" he whispered with a light smirk.

She didn't answer, unable to react. He was so handsome and he was so close and all she wanted was for him to…

Jackson smiled then slowly pulled his head up. She blinked at him, flustered. Her brow lowered slightly at him for torturing her.

"Is this a game to you?" she demanded.

"Not at all," he answered innocently. He quickly leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to her cheek. She sucked in a breath at the contact, and his lips felt even softer than she'd imagined. He hovered by her face, staying close, and the scruffiness of his jaw gently brushed her. His fingers delicately brushed the skin of her neck and collarbone, sending electricity to her with the lightest touch. Her breathing increased and she wanted to pull him to her.

He sat back and their eyes met, and Lisa noticed even he seemed a little dizzied by the embrace.

"What's the matter?" she asked when he broke eye contact and appeared to be contemplating something. _No more thinking…Just do that again, please_.

He swallowed, then looked back at her with intense eyes.

"I have an idea."

"An idea for what?"

"How to be alone," he answered, his eyes expressing how much he wanted it to happen. The look on his face sent a chill down her spine.

She blinked at him and furrowed her brow in puzzlement. There were a couple hundred people on this plane. What was he talking about?

"You mean…before we land?" she clarified.

He nodded, then took her hand again.

"Now don't freak out…It's just an idea," he said, the corner of his mouth rising a little.

She just stared, waiting for him to continue.

"The lavatory."

Her brow crinkled again.

"The lava – " She stopped as his meaning dawned on her. Her mouth dropped in shock. What the hell was he implying? The mile-high-club or whatever? Was he expecting her to actually have sex with him on this plane?

She pulled her hand away.

"I can't believe you," she huffed at his perplexed expression. Just because she let a man kiss and hold her, he automatically assumes she's ready to sleep with him?

"It's not what you think," he argued in an even voice.

"I'm not that kind of girl," she whispered, quickly feeling the need to reel things in again. "I can't believe you would just assume that…"

His eyes flashed at her.

"Leese," he said firmly. "I wasn't asking for that at all. You're taking this the wrong way."

She studied him with a pounding heart, wanting to believe him. She felt somewhat contrite for jumping to conclusions, but still felt a bit guarded. Let him explain himself.

"Then what did you mean?"

He huffed at her, still displeased by the accusation.

"I meant…the lavatory…just as a place to be alone. To be close to you."

"I don't know," she said slowly, seduced by the thought but hesitant. The sudden thought of being pressed up against him in such cramped quarters sent a heat wave through her blood. But how could they possibly get away with it? Wouldn't someone notice that they were gone together?

"I just want to kiss you, Lisa…" he insisted, the longing in his eyes setting off an intense flutter of butterflies in her stomach. His eyes briefly dropped to her lips, emphasizing his words.

She looked around the cramped plane at the other weary passengers. At this point, their potentially prying eyes were really the only thing keeping her from jumping into Jackson's lap and smashing her face against his. Being alone with him like what he was suggesting could be a bad idea. She may have let him hold her, but where was this leading? It was all moving too fast. SO fast.

Before another deliberation could enter her head, he unexpectedly pressed his mouth to her jaw line, blurring her thoughts. To her dismay, he kept it brief again, pulling back too soon.

"Why are you torturing me?" she sighed, looking at him with light impatience.

He smiled softly.

"Because it's the best way to get what I want," he explained, running his fingers down her neck.

She sighed again and gave him a perplexed look. This could have devastating consequences…

"Listen to me, Leese," he whispered, coming close to her ear. "I'm going to the back of the plane. First door on the right that's unoccupied. I'll wait there for five minutes."

She didn't answer. She just held his gaze, cheeks flushed.

He smiled at her expression and leaned toward her once more, brushing his lips ever so softly against hers for a brief moment. The kiss was so fleeting and light it barely registered, but it was enough contact to light a fire in her, as she was sure was his intention. Whatever semblance of restraint was left in her melted away with the touch of his lips.

He broke the embrace abruptly and rose to his feet without a word, and she watched him walk toward the back of the plane with a knot in her stomach.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Usually I crank out a chapter every few months, but I got this one out in a few days, just because I love you! lol Oh, and because this stuff is SUPER fun to write. (duh) If it's a bit short, it's only because I wanted to get something posted quickly, and because I wanted this scene to stand alone. Hopefully it doesn't have many glaring flaws from typing it up so quickly. Wait…are you still reading this?**

Lisa stared at the back of the seat in front of her, her blood pounding furiously throughout her body. She realized her mouth had gone as dry as sandpaper, so she quickly took another swig from her bottle of water, being careful not to drop it from her trembling hands.

Jackson had only been gone for about 30 seconds, but she was still so flabbergasted by the situation that she felt frozen to her seat. At first she was angry with him for putting her in this state, then she would get an almost unbearable tickle in her stomach when she'd think of what would happen if she actually met him at the back of the plane.

She looked around at the other passengers – reading, sleeping, murmuring to their neighbors, and suddenly feared they knew something was up. She realized that was almost impossible, but the situation was affecting her so much she was afraid someone would just glance at her and suspect something. Her face must be pink, her expression must be anxious, and her shaking had to be noticeable.

She ran a hand through her messy auburn tresses and looked down at her watch. It'd been almost two minutes since Jackson had left. She covered her face with her hands, conflicted. Part of her didn't want to give into this, since he basically forced it upon her without her even agreeing to the idea. But could she really just leave him back there? She pictured him waiting for her in the lavatory, and it was an odd image. Would he be angry if she didn't come? If she didn't go to him, how would she be able to stand the awkwardness of the last couple hours of the flight sitting next to him? Then she considered the alternative…Sitting next to him for the next couple hours, knowing she'd spent a few steamy minutes with him in an airplane lavatory.

Lisa desperately tried to clear her head. Above all, she knew she ached for him. She _wanted_ to be pressed against him. And God help her…she _wanted_ to let him kiss her.

She tried to go back to her original logic of letting him touch her at all. That she was "on vacation". Suddenly, it seemed like a very weak and petty reason to get physical with a man she barely knew.

_I'm not sleeping with him_, she reasoned. _It's just_ _kissing, right?. Kissing is innocent._

She consulted her watch again. It'd been four minutes. Time was running out. Straightening, she closed her eyes and tried to relax, preparing to rise from her seat. In reality, she knew part of her had made this decision the moment he suggested this to her. How in the hell could she pass this up?

She stood, and knew she had to play it cool so no one would pay any attention to her. She was just going to the lavatory, like she'd already done several times on this flight. It was perfectly normal for her to head toward the back of the plane. Stepping sideways to exit their seats, she turned toward the aisle. She'd made this trek many times in the last several hours, but for some reason the walk seemed much farther than normal. Forcing herself to move forward, she tried to walk on a leisurely pace. Not too quickly. She wasn't throwing herself at him. He could wait for her.

She worked to keep her breathing easy as she walked, and tried to keep her expression relaxed. Nothing to give way what was happening. She wasn't sure she could stand the mortification of being found out.

The lavatories were in sight. Her stomach unexpectedly flew even further into her chest, and her heart pounded louder, so harshly she was afraid others could hear. Her face flushed red, and she felt her knees go weak as she walked closer and closer to Jackson.

_Oh my god._

What the hell was she doing? Had she gone mad? Who did this sort of thing, especially with a stranger?

She had reached the lavatories, and her eyes searched the two on the right side. Only one of them was occupied. Jackson was waiting in there for her. She suddenly froze in front of the door, knowing this was her last chance to bail. She could still go back to her seat, and he would never know the difference. Her heart thundered in her ears.

_C'mon, Lisa. Knock._

But she couldn't seem to move.

Suddenly the door slid open, causing her to gasp in surprise. Her eyes locked with the blue eyes she'd come to adore, and she froze. He gave her a very light smile, clearly pleased to see her. Then he abruptly stepped out to look past the door, and quickly checked the aisles to make sure no one was watching. Then before she could react, he grabbed her hand and pulled her inside. He pulled her against him, then quickly reached over and slid the door closed behind her. He slid the lock closed.

She let out a small cry when he abruptly pushed her back against the door, then pressed himself against her.

"Jackson…" she gasped, but her words were quickly silenced by his lips. His kiss was immediately intense and she was instantly swept away. His mouth was soft and wet and the most delicious thing she'd ever tasted. She brought her hands up to his jaw, holding his face against hers, and deepened the kiss, searching for his tongue. He groaned and accepted her warmly, sliding his hands around her waist. Lisa's heart pounded like mad and her entire body tingled, thrilled by the touch of his hands. He slid them up her back and down to her waist, always holding her tightly against him. His body felt firm and well-built against hers, building an overpowering ache within her.

The intensity of their kiss didn't let up, but Jackson finally pulled away to catch his breath, keeping his face close. They stared at each other, both gasping for breath, both a little dazed.

"I didn't think you were coming," Jackson whispered, the corner of his mouth lifting.

Lisa looked back at him, her cheeks aflame and lips swollen, and couldn't believe she'd even considered not coming. All doubt had quickly melted away.

"I'm here," she whispered back with a smile, brushing some of his hair from his eyes. She realized she was trembling. He was gloriously handsome to her right now, and it was absolutely surreal to be with him like this.

His blue eyes searched her face.

"My god, you are so fucking beautiful," he growled, pulling her to him and kissing her again. Lisa slid her hands up his chest and grasped the front of his shirt, needing to hold onto something to keep from melting to the floor.

He slid his fingers into her hair, stroking the silky tresses, then abruptly grabbed a handful and pulled her head back, provoking a small cry from her. He lowered his lips to her throat.

"Shhh…" he commanded. He hovered near her neck for a moment, his hot breath on her sending chills through her. He finally pressed his open lips to her throat, using his lips and tongue, tasting her skin.

Lisa moaned softly and entwined her fingers into his hair.

He kissed all over her neck, and brushed his tongue across her collarbones. Lisa shivered with pleasure, and found herself wishing he would continue to move down her body.

_No_, she ordered herself, attempting to maintain some semblance of control. _I can't._

He traveled back up her neck and reclaimed her lips, his kiss hot and deep, pressing himself against her again. She wrapped her arms around his waist and smoothed her hands up his back, pleased that the shirt was thin and she could feel every muscle.

He pulled back again for a breath, but slid his hands down from her waist to her hips.

They stared at each other, as if both were waiting for the other to make a move.

"How long do you think we can stay in here before someone notices we're gone?" Lisa whispered, resuming her grip on the front of his shirt.

"Who the hell cares?" he answered, giving her hips a squeeze. "What are they going to do to us – throw us off?"

It was enough of a justification for her, at least for now. She laughed softly and rose up to kiss him again, damning the consequences. Nothing could pull her from this lavatory right now other than the plane going down. He was too delicious.

Jackson's hands continue to slide up and down her hips, then slowly traveled around to her backside and pushed her hips against his. Feeling the evidence of his arousal against her sent an unexpected lightning bolt of lust shooting through her. She shivered with it. Taking her mouth from his, she abruptly pushed him backwards. Thrown off guard, Jackson fell back onto the toilet seat lid, his eyes wide with surprise. Lisa quickly climbed into his lap and straddled his legs, facing him. She then took his face in her hands and aggressively kissed him again.

He returned her kiss' ferocity, wrapping his arms around her. His hands slid down her back and cupped her butt, prompting a soft groan from her. His hands felt incredible on her body, like they belonged there. They slid around to her hips and down her thighs to the hemline of her skirt. He gently touched the skin right at the hem before slowly sliding his hands beneath the skirt up her outer thighs, moving the fabric up with them. He moved carefully, as if waiting for a command to stop, but she gave him none.

Her breath caught as his hands moved higher and higher up her legs, and she pulled her mouth away from his, wanting to concentrate just on the touch. She laid her forehead on his shoulder, breathing heavily, when his fingers finally reached the hem of her panties. Lisa knew this was going much farther than she'd intended, and for the first time since this began she had a moment of doubt.

Suddenly he stopped, as if sensing her uncertainty.

"Leese," he breathed, trying to catch his breath. "I'm not sure how much more of this I can handle if you want to stay fully dressed."

The words sent a shudder of pleasure through her. She pulled her head up to smile at him, but the serious look on his face made her realize that he wasn't joking. His fingers still stroked the skin of her outer thighs, driving her mad, as they regarded each other. Straddling his lap was extremely erotic to her, but she didn't want to do this with him next to a toilet. She didn't come to this lavatory with the intention of having sex, but being with him like this made her realize how badly she needed it to happen. Just under different circumstances.

After a few moments of contemplation, she sighed and kissed him again.

"I don't want to do this here," she whispered against his lips. "Not like this."

He was silent for a moment.

"Here is all there is," he said in a low voice.

She pulled her head back to look at him.

"Why does it have to be that way?" she asked, frustrated. "I mean, we're both going to the same place…"

"I told you, Lisa, I'm going to be working," he said matter-of-factly.

Her brow crinkled at him.

"You can't get away for even one night?" she persisted, realizing she was starting to sound a bit desperate. "I'll be there for ten days…"

"It's not like that," he explained, hesitating. "Believe me…" he went on, his eyes glossing over with longing as he squeezed her hips again and pulled her more tightly against him. "…I would if I could."

It didn't make sense to her, but the look on his face assured her that he was telling the truth. She wanted more of an explanation, but knew she wouldn't get it. But that didn't mean she was happy about it. Her brow furrowed at him, truly frustrated.

"I don't understand," she murmured, laying her forehead on his shoulder again. She realized this was going to be much harder on her than she was willing to admit. It wasn't like her to be able to kiss and forget, and she knew this about herself before this even happened. She already dreaded landing in Sydney. _Intensely_ dreaded.

_Please let this flight last forever…_

He was silent, holding on to her legs.

They were both startled by a sudden voice on the intercom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign. We are now crossing a zone of turbulence. Please return your seats and keep your seat belts fastened. Thank you. Flight crew, please be seated."

They stared at each other for a brief moment, then Lisa leapt to her feet, quickly pulling her skirt down.

"What do we do?" she whispered in a tense voice, her eyes wide. They'd had a smooth flight up until now. "We can't just leave together...someone will see us!"

"Lisa, calm down. It's just a little turbulence," Jackson said calmly, rising to his feet.

"No…you don't understand…I don't handle this sort of thing very well," she breathed, leaning back against the door to steady herself. "We need to get back. I need to get back to my seat…"

"Hey," Jackson said, cupping her face with his hands. "Relax. You go first, and I'll be behind you in a minute. Okay?"

She nodded quickly, eyes still wide, touched by the gesture of reassurance.

He gave her a brief kiss.

"Go," he commanded, leaning back to stay out of anyone's line of sight.

She exited the lavatory quickly, her heart pounding with alarm that the turbulence would start before she even got to her seat. Her knees felt so weak as she walked the aisle. She held on to the backs of seats on the way, trying to keep from toppling to her feet. Finally, she reached the seats she shared with Jackson and quickly buckled herself in. After she was settled, she impatiently waited for Jackson to join her. Too much time was going by. She fidgeted in her seat, periodically looking back down the aisle to see if he was coming. She wanted him here.

The plane began to jar slightly, and Lisa grabbed the armrests and worked to keep her breathing regular, squeezing her eyes shut. Finally she felt a brush of warm air on her left side.

"You're more delicate than you seem," Jackson chuckled, fastening his seat belt.

Lisa lifted her chin in indignation, though pleased to see him.

"I am _not_ delicate," she insisted as the plane jarred again, causing her to gasp.

He smiled again and leaned over to her.

"You don't have to deny it. It's charming."

They sat in silence for the next several minutes. The plane continued to jar, but it wasn't nearly as bad as Lisa had feared. Soon, they were in smooth skies again. She let out a sigh of relief when the fasten seatbelt sign finally turned off, and she quickly unfastened hers and pushed up the armrest between her and Jackson. She leaned against him.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked, placing an arm around her.

"No…" she answered, slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry I flipped out on you."

"No need to apologize," he said, kissing the top of her head.

Lisa sighed again and began to run her fingers down his arm and hands. She loved every inch of him. Her heart clenched a little when she realized how _real_ this felt, like the beginning of something legitimate, not a random fling that would end when they landed. It didn't seem fair, and it began to upset her again that he wouldn't explain why he couldn't continue to see her when they were in Australia. She deserved _some_ kind of explanation, didn't she?

She sat up away from him, suddenly needing space.

"I'm glad we didn't…" she began, not sure how to word it.

He turned his head toward her, waiting for her to continue.

She hesitated. "I'm just glad we didn't," she said finally. She supposed part of her should be thankful for the turbulence keeping her from doing something she'd regret.

"I'm not," he replied, his expression serious. He maintained eye contact with her, his gaze clearly expressing his unrelenting desire for her, causing yet another painful tickle in her stomach. Then his expression grew thoughtful, as if an idea had just come to him. "Are you cold?" he asked randomly.

She blinked at him.

"No."

"Are you sure?" he persisted, unbuckling his seatbelt and beginning to rise.

She stared at him, wondering what he was up to. He reached into the overhead bin above their seats and pulled out two red airline blankets. Sitting back down in his seat, he draped one blanket over himself and one over her, making sure to overlap them.

"Jackson, I told you I'm not…"

"Believe me, you're cold," he insisted.

She gasped when she felt his hand begin to brush her knee under the blankets, then very slowly slide up her thigh.

"What are you doing?" she breathed, her heart rate increasing again.

"Lisa, how are your acting skills?" he asked softly, his lips close to her ear. He brought his hand a little higher.

"I don't understand," she gasped, feeling intense chills as he pressed his nose into her hair and breathed her in.

"Just because I can't fuck you doesn't mean I can't make sure you never forget me," he whispered huskily, bringing his fingers ever higher.

Her mouth dropped at his words, but she did nothing to fight him.

"But I'm going to need you to try to stay quiet…" he continued, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Can you do that?"

Lisa's cheeks lit a bright red and she felt her heart pounding in her ears. His hand on her inner thigh shot furious bolts of arousal through her, causing an almost painful aching between her legs that begged for touch. She wanted what he was suggesting. But keeping what was happening from everyone around them? That could be tricky.

"Jackson, I don't know if I can…" she gasped.

"Do your best," he said, clearly enjoying having this control over her. "Because this is happening."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N What can I say? I'm obsessed. I blame you guys.**

**I'm so glad people liked the last chapter so much. And to those that expressed your undying love, I love you too! lol Your reviews make my day. I only hope to not screw up our relationship between now and the end of the story! ;-) ha**

Lisa stared at his smug, handsome face, and knew she was doomed. She was too weakened and aroused to refuse him, though she was terrified that they would be found out. She gave him a look that confirmed she wasn't going to stop him, but also pleaded with him to be discreet.

He managed to look pleased without smiling, then turned his head forward, looking away from her. His fingers continued to move beneath her skirt, but they lingered a particularly long time at the seam of her cotton panties, viciously teasing her by stroking the skin of her inner thigh without proceeding further.

She squeezed her eyes shut and gently squirmed in an attempt to feel his fingers where she wanted them, but he wouldn't budge. She opened her eyes and looked over at him, irritated and blushing. He was playing games again.

His face looked incredibly composed, further pissing her off, as he glanced around the airplane as if nothing was happening. As if his hand was somehow detached from the rest of him. How did he _do_ that?

"Jackson," she whispered harshly, prompting him to turn his head toward her, eyebrows raised in expectation.

"Yeah?"

"Either do this or don't," she ordered.

His eyes twinkled at her.

She gasped when his hand suddenly lifted and slid into the front of her panties. Grabbing the armrests to anchor herself, she tried to keep from making any sounds. But she couldn't help but let out a soft moan when she felt his fingers gently explore her. She was already so aroused before he even touched her that the slightest contact sent shivers of pleasure through her.

She heard Jackson's breathing react to the contact as well.

"Holy fuck you feel so good, Lisa," he whispered very softly in her ear.

It took all of her effort to not make any noise. The motion of his hand was minimal, but the tiny movements were all it took to send shockwaves through her body. Her heart was pounding out of control, and she worked to relax and to keep her heavy breathing as quiet as possible.

His hand moved slowly and expertly, as if he knew just where to touch her. She opened her eyes to look at him, and he had again reverted back to a nonchalant expression, and he was looking away from her. No one would be able to tell by looking at him that he had his hand in the panties of the woman next to him. Although she understood the intent, it still somehow hurt her that he seemed so disconnected to what was going on. A quick glance around the plane reminded her how near they were to other people, sending a flicker of excitement and fear through her. Jackson was crazy for doing this to her. What was happening was so incredibly intimate and personal, and these people had no idea. And she wanted to keep it that way.

An unexpected flicking of his fingers caused her to gasp again, sending her back into oblivion.

"Shit…oh shit…" she whispered desperately as his fingers suddenly sped their movements.

He leaned over to her, ever composed.

"Lisa…shhhhh…" he insisted softly, without letting up the intensity of the touch.

The furious flicking felt unbelievably good, and she wanted so badly to cry out, to release some of the pent-up energy. Her eyes begin to water from having to stifle herself. Unable to hold it in any longer, a couple cries emanated from her through her desperately sealed lips. Her eyes instantly flew open to make sure no one had noticed, and to her horror, a few passengers had looked over at them.

"Are you okay?" Jackson quickly asked in full voice, bringing his free hand over to touch her face in mock concern. The offending hand had momentarily stopped torturing her.

Though she knew her face was flushed red and she was mildly pissed at him, she tried to appear normal for the sake of keeping what they were doing a secret. Her mind moved quickly.

"I'm fine…I think…I think I was just having a nightmare," she explained, prompting Jackson to nod his head sympathetically.

Taking another quick glance around, she realized the other passengers had lost interest and looked away. Relief was overwhelming, and she took a few deep breaths, trying to relax.

"I hate you," she whispered furiously, feeling some of the blood drain from her face.

He stared at her, bemused.

"That was _your_ fault," she insisted, realizing she was starting to smile a little. "You can't do that to me and expect me to stay quiet."

He chuckled and gave her a brief kiss on the cheek.

"Want me to stop?" he asked, a flicker of mischief in his eye as he moved her fingers slightly, sending a small shiver through her.

"No," she answered quickly, unable to fathom the thought. "Of course not."

His fingers immediately began exploring her again, but more slowly this time. Lisa laid her head back and closed her eyes, focusing only on the touch. She was sure she'd never been more turned on in her entire life. Just picturing his handsome face and thinking about how it was _his_ hand that was touching her, enjoying her, was incredibly erotic to her. Her mind began to wander to thoughts of him slowly undressing her, kissing her lips…then her neck, then her breasts, her stomach, her thighs… She thought of finally being alone with him, being able to run her hands over his taut body, then being pressed beneath his weight, her legs wrapped around him…

Her breathing suddenly increased at a faster rate, and she realized she was close.

Jackson seemed to sense it, and he began to move his fingers a little faster, although gently enough to coax her slowly to climax rather than forcing it from her.

As she felt her insides tightening, she let out a couple very soft cries that were getting higher in pitch.

"Quietly, Leese," Jackson whispered gently in her ear. "This is just between you and me. No one needs to know but us."

The sound of his deep, enticing voice was enough to push her over the edge. Her insides began to clench and release powerfully, sending indescribable pleasure reverberating through her. Her eyes squeezed shut and her body began to tremble as she held onto her armrests for dear life. Her toes curled in her shoes. Her breath came in quick gasps, and she bit her bottom lip in an attempt to stifle any sounds from escaping.

As the last few shudders ran their course through her body, Lisa felt herself relax, instant calm washing over her. She opened her eyes, releasing a breath, and realized that they'd gotten away with it. Jackson had fondled her to the point of orgasm mere feet from strangers, and they were none the wiser.

Jackson pulled his hand from her, prompting her to turn to look at him. She was instantly taken aback by the look on his face. His expression was intense, his eyes enveloping her as if he wanted to eat her alive. He quickly looked away.

Mystified, she reached over and gently touched his cheek. He turned his head slightly to acknowledge the touch, but didn't really reciprocate the warmth. He seemed deep in thought. She felt instant rejection, breaking her heart a little. How could things go from hot, sexy intimacy to cold dismissal in just a few seconds?

"Are you okay?" she probed.

He looked sideways at her, as if insulted by the question.

"Of course. Are you?"

"What do you think?" she whispered, attempting a smile.

He didn't return it and looked away. Her heart broke a little more, suddenly afraid he was already trying to build a wall between them since he knew they'd be saying goodbye in just over hour.

She sat silently in her seat for a few moments, stunned at his reaction, and didn't know what to say. Had she done something wrong? What could she have _possibly_ done wrong?

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she demanded, making him look at her. Even though they didn't have that much time left together, they still had some, and it wasn't going to be spent like this.

He hesitated but didn't turn away from her again, his blue eyes intense.

"I just…want you. _Badly_," he whispered heatedly, reaching for her knee and squeezing it almost painfully tight.

She smiled hesitantly at the words, confused by his demeanor.

"Believe me, I know," she responded, her eyes teasing.

"I'm serious," he went on. "I can't just kiss you and taste you and touch you and…" he hesitated again, making his voice softer "…watch you cum…and not fuck you. I just can't do it."

The words sent another deep painful thrill through her stomach. They'd danced around it before, but hearing him flat out say those words to her was intoxicating. But he was the one who kept insisting he couldn't get away from his work to see her, and she wasn't going to beg him.

"I know," she whispered, looking down into her lap.

He released her knee and ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated, and looked away again.

Suddenly the intercom came alive with the captain's voice explaining exuberantly that they were getting close and would be landing in about fifty-five minutes. He described the weather conditions of Sydney. It sounded beautiful there.

As the other passengers cheered, Lisa stared out her window again and felt tears prick beneath her eyelids. His lack of response was discouraging. She shook her head, annoyed with herself, and quickly stifled the tears. She absolutely could not let Jackson see her cry over this.

"Lisa, look at me," he commanded after a few minutes of silence.

She turned her head to him, praying that she was successfully keeping her emotions from her face.

He hesitated again, searching her face with his eyes. "Where are you staying in town?" he finally asked.

She blinked at him, then answered the question. He nodded and looked away, still looking like he was calculating something in his head. He was quiet again for a few moments, and she didn't press him.

"I think I might actually be able to make this work. Getting together, I mean," he finally said, turning to her with a resolute look on his face. "If you'll still have me, of course."

Her heart leapt, but she felt suspicious of the sudden change of heart.

"But you said you couldn't," she said, stating the obvious.

"Forget what I said," he interjected in a dismissive tone. He reached for her hand and pressed it to his lips. "I'll make it work."

She studied him, wondering what kind of sacrifice he was going to be making to get to her. Knowing how badly he wanted to see her before and still said no to another rendezvous, she worried for him.

"I don't want to do anything that could jeopardize your job…" she insisted.

He laughed.

"Relax, Lisa. I'm not going to get fired," he answered with a smile, reaching for her again. "We'll just have to be careful."

Her brow furrowed in concern and she opened her mouth to question him. But he abruptly pulled her in and kissed her, blurring the thought from her mind.

"Don't you _want_ to see me again?" he whispered teasingly, still close.

She smiled slowly.

So she was going to see him again. It wasn't over. It was a drastic change of mindset, as she'd been preparing herself to say goodbye to him practically since the moment she'd met him. Sighing happily, she resumed her place against him, wrapping her arms around his abdomen. Her body, still tingling from the orgasm he'd given her, was suddenly alive again. The feelings of desire were soon overwhelming, especially now that acting on them was actually a possibility. She wanted him more than she wanted to breath.

"I want you to stay the night..." she whispered into his chest. "…when you come."

"Oh believe me…" Jackson chuckled, running his hand up and down her back. "I will."


	8. Chapter 8

Lisa leaned possessively against her handsome seatmate and marveled at how quickly time was now passing. Before she knew it, they were hovering above Sydney, Australia, circling the runway. The thought of finally getting off the plane was beyond exciting, and now that she didn't have to say goodbye forever to Jackson, their arrival didn't carry dread for her anymore.

He'd pulled his laptop out soon after they'd finally decided to see each other again, and he appeared to be going over what he'd already written. Lisa gazed at the French text and offhandedly wondered if he'd be willing to speak a little of it for her. Like she needed another reason to want to jump his bones…

"Do you feel ready?" she asked, straightening in her seat as she watched him snap the laptop shut for the final time.

He glanced over and gave her a half smile.

"Yeah," he answered, using the dismissive tone he always used when she asked about his work. "Shouldn't be too bad."

She nodded and leaned against him again, not wanting to ruin their impending goodbye by asking more questions.

They both fell silent, and Lisa straightened to look out her window at the ground far below. The day was sunny, and it was incredibly beautiful down there. She could actually see the city of Sydney itself in the distance surrounded by fiercely blue water. A thrill went through her as she took it all in. She was actually here.

She felt Jackson's fingers brush her knee.

"Excited about your vacation?" he asked politely.

She smiled at him.

"You have no idea…"

Suddenly the plane touched down, and the cabin was filled with applause from relieved passengers.

"Fourteen hours is _way_ too long to spend on an airplane," she heard someone near them grumble, causing her to laugh.

"He's right," she whispered to Jackson. "Too bad I have to do it again in ten days."

"You could just stay here," he responded. "I'm sure they'd be happy to have you."

She smiled, and suddenly a cell phone was ringing.

"It's mine," Jackson said, reaching into his bag. He put the phone to his ear. "Yeah, we're down," he said into the receiver, glancing at Lisa. "Any changes? Okay, we can cover it when I get there. Is Henderson still in?" He was silent for several seconds. "Nice. Fine…I'll be there as soon as I can." He snapped the phone closed and looked over at her. "Work."

"Yeah, I figured," she replied, slightly peeved that his job was already taking him from her. She still had a few minutes left with him. "That was fast."

"Yeah," he muttered, putting his arm around her and pulling her to his side again. "I think they put a tracking device on me," he added with a laugh.

The plane slowly taxied to the jet bridge, and she felt Jackson's hold on her become a bit tighter. She didn't protest and just curled up against him. Apparently neither of them was looking forward to saying goodbye.

Jackson cleared his throat.

"Lisa, I'm telling you this now because I don't want it to bother you later."

She sat up in her seat and looked at him, quickly praying that he wasn't rescinding the offer to come see her.

"Once the plane's down and we have our luggage, I need to leave as soon as possible. They're expecting me."

She nodded, relief washing over her. So he was just telling her he wouldn't have time for a long goodbye. She could handle that.

"No, I understand," she answered, running her fingers down his arm.

The plane finally came to a stop. People rushed quickly down the aisles, clearly eager to get off the plane. The airport itself was expansive and grand, and Lisa smiled at the huge "Welcome to Sydney" sign hanging from the ceiling. Jackson had slung his bag over his shoulder, and surprised her by reaching for her hand. He pulled her behind him through the mass of people, and Lisa basked in the feeling of possessiveness it gave her. It was like she belonged to him. She watched him walk in front of her, admiring the swagger of his steps. They'd been sitting for so long, she hadn't been treated to watching his body move.

She'd become so distracted by watching him that she barely recognized when they finally arrived at baggage claim. Their baggage hadn't come down the shoot yet, and their fellow passengers surrounded them. Everyone looked badly in need of a shower and a good night's sleep. Somehow, Jackson just looked even more appealing with his mussed hair and wrinkled clothing.

Lisa noticed his expression was impatient, and she began to feel heaviness inside her, knowing their goodbye was imminent. She knew that once they parted ways, she'd probably be distracted enough by her vacation to not constantly long for him. But getting through the farewell could prove difficult. As if on cue, she felt Jackson slip his arm around her waist.

"It won't be too long," he whispered in her ear.

Finally a buzzer sounded and their flight's luggage began to move down the shoot. The crowd eagerly surrounded the conveyor belt. Her huge black suitcase came early, and Jackson made a joke about its size when he pulled it for her. His modest-sized brown leather bag soon followed, and she actually marveled at how small it was. It suddenly occurred to her that she didn't know how long he was actually staying here.

They rolled their suitcases away from the crowd to an open area of the baggage claim, and Lisa's heart began to sink.

"So…" Jackson began awkwardly as they faced each other. "I'll see you in a few days?"

"Yeah," Lisa said quickly, attempting a smile and trying to keep the ache she felt from her face. "Do you know when you'll come by?" She tried to sound casual in spite of her pounding heart. Him "coming by" implied a lot more than she was making it sound like.

He hesitated.

"I wish I could say yes, but I honestly don't know," he answered truthfully, his blue eyes brushing over her face with an obvious sense of longing. "I'd guess in three or four days."

She nodded. That wasn't _too_ bad.

"Do you know about what time?" she persisted.

He laughed and reached for her waist, pulling her close.

"Do you really need that specific of information?" he whispered with a charming smile.

She wavered, thrown off by the proximity.

"I just…want to make sure I'm around…when you come," she explained, a little breathless.

"Don't worry about that," he responded, still amused. "I'll find you."

With that he kissed her, and she closed her eyes in an attempt to savor him. She believed him that he was coming, but saying goodbye to him at this moment was strangely terrifying, like she'd never see him again. She clutched him to her, surprised at the sudden emotions that had arisen. Apparently mentally preparing for this moment hadn't really helped.

He pulled away after several moments.

"I have to go," he insisted, his voice expressing his annoyance with the fact.

She immediately released her hold on him, quickly embarrassed at how dramatic she was being.

"Okay," she said casually, attempting another smile. "Do well on your...project."

He smiled and thanked her, then leaned in again and kissed her cheek. She realized she was shaking slightly.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked with a slightly furrowed brow, throwing her off guard.

"Of course I will," she retorted, her chin lifting a little. "Why would you ask something like that?"

"Body language expert, Leese," he teased, winking at her. "Relax. You know we'll see each other again soon."

"I _know_," she insisted, irritated at him for seemingly being able to read her every thought. Although she knew the next several days were going to be tortured with thoughts of him, he wasn't allowed to know about or acknowledge that fact.

"You need to go," she added, breaking eye contact.

He paused and regarded her, then abruptly reached for her again and kissed her. She attempted to stiffen, but soon melted against him as soon as his lips met hers. He was entirely too arrogant, but she adored him anyway.

He pulled away again and regarded her, but the humor had left his expression. He brushed his eyes over her face one last time, then turned away and started pulling his bag towards the exit.

He didn't turn around.

Lisa's hotel was grand, expansive, and everything she'd hoped it would be. A bellhop led her through the large corridor toward the elevators, her large suitcase in tow. She'd already been charmed by the accents of the natives, and wondered if she would pick up any of their mannerisms during her visit.

When they arrived at her suite, she tipped the bellhop and locked the door behind him, then proceeded to investigate the place she'd be staying for the next ten days. The rooms were brightly lit, with large windows throughout. Arrangements of fresh yellow flowers graced the tops of several end tables. Shades of soft blue and tan prevailed the decor, and a king-sized bed dominated the bedroom. Smiling, she went to it and sprawled out across the blue comforter, reveling in its softness. Her bed at home was only a full-size, so this was an absolute dream. She planned to sprawl out her limbs every night. Curling up into the comfort, she realized how exhausted she was. The last several hours had taken a toll on her body and her emotions, and as excited as she was to get out and explore, she figured a nap was probably a good idea. But she felt icky from the long flight. First, a shower.

Though her body protested, she arose from the bed and went to pull some fresh undies from her suitcase. She padded into the bathroom and smiled again when she saw its beauty and size. Her eyes brushed over fixtures of black, white, and chromed silver. The bathroom sink appeared to be black granite topped, and the bathtub was large and deep. She emptied her bag of toiletries and began to peel off the clothing she'd had on for the last 24 hours.

Before starting the shower water, she stopped to study her nude form in the mirror. Her eyes ran down her pretty shoulders, bare breasts, flat stomach, and delicately curved hips.

A tickle flared in her belly when she thought of Jackson seeing her like this, and she quickly made mental notes of what would need to be moisturized, shaved and groomed before his visit. She placed a hand on her neck then slowly ran it down her body, between her breasts, down her stomach, then around to her hip, and tried to imagine what Jackson's hands would feel like on her naked body. She absolutely ached for him, and she suddenly couldn't stand the thought that it would be days before she saw him again. She quickly relived his kisses, the intimate way he had touched her, his scent. She had to place a hand on the sink to steady herself when her mind drifted to their little liaison in the lavatory…

Her heart rate had increased and she realized she was beginning to flush again. Forcing herself to snap out of it, she turned back toward the bathtub and turned on the shower.

The soothing hot water ran down her body and washed away the ick she felt from the airplane. Her body wash smelled especially good to her today, the floral aromas enveloping her. After toweling off she wrapped herself in the plush robe provided by the hotel, then padded back into the bedroom. Paying no mind to her wet hair, she curled into the layers of blankets.

Lisa awoke refreshed a few hours later, and decided the first order of business was Bondi beach. She pulled out her modest black tankini, and it suddenly struck her as…dull. What the hell was she thinking? The last day had made her feel so sexy and alive that it made her want to dress to reflect that. She began to root through her suitcase again. Suddenly her hand brushed a light silky material, and she pulled out a beautiful flowing garment. It was the blue dress her mother had sent her in honor of the trip. She smiled and caressed the soft material, then walked over to the closet to hang it up.

_Perfect_.

She would meet Jackson wearing this.

Part of her questioned the wisdom of actually sleeping with him, but she knew that once she saw him again there would be no turning back. He had a power over her she couldn't describe, and she didn't even want to fight it. She offhandedly glanced over at the bed. She tried to picture him in the room, and it was an odd image, because he was connected to the airplane in her mind. She'd become well acquainted with the right side of his face.

Sighing, she pulled on the black tankini and threw a white cotton sundress over it, slipped on some flip-flops, and was out the door.

The days began to pass. While the beach was her main point of interest, Lisa was also able to get plenty of shopping done. She visited a museum, the botanical gardens, and an art gallery. It was absolutely amazing there and Lisa was struck by beauty of the city. Yet despite all the relaxation and fun she was having, she couldn't help but long for the days that Jackson might appear at her hotel room door. While she certainly didn't want to rush the vacation she'd saved for and planned for months, she just needed four days to pass.

She wondered what he was up to…when he was coming…how long he would stay…

Occasionally her mind would drift to questions about what kind of work he was doing right now, but she quickly dismissed it. Not that she wasn't curious, but she was tired of trying to figure out what he clearly didn't want her to know. In the big scheme of things, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered as long as he indeed came to see her, and they were able to spend some time together before she had to go home.

At night she would fantasize about him. About how he'd look when he arrived, about what she'd say, about what she'd wear, about how he'd remove it… She'd picture his intense blue eyes and relive what it felt like to kiss him. She remembered his scent…alluring, heady… She wanted to experience it again. Dreams of him tortured her at night, waking her up to an empty bed.

Three days after her arrival, Lisa was settled at a small table in an adorable café near the beach. She was dressed in light wash denim shorts and a beaded soft yellow tank top, and her hair was loose and flowing. She sipped iced tea and watched those around her, occasionally smiling when she'd make eye contact with someone. Often, she would come across someone that seemed to have Jackson's hair, or his swagger, and she'd jerk her head in the person's direction. But of course it was never him.

Lisa studied the condensation on the outside of her glass and wondered for the hundredth time if she'd gone mad. It was not like her to obsess over a man like this. For the first time since she'd met him, she offhandedly wondered if she'd actually fallen a little bit in love with him. She scoffed and took another sip of her tea. That was crazy thinking. She wanted to rip his clothes off and let him have his way with her, not meet his mother or bake him cookies. She acknowledge her intense feelings for him had to be mostly lust, but who the hell cared, right?

Attempting to clear her head, she rose to throw away her cup.

"Turn it up!" a voice demanded, distracting her. She began to search for its source, and she realized a man was pointing at the counter, so she followed the direction of his eyes. There was a small TV above the counter of the café, and a newscast was playing. The small lady and pressed the button to raise the volume.

"…because it seems there's been at attack on the Prime Minister's life…"

Dozens of heads turned towards the television, and some rose to move closer to it.

"…sniper fire earlier this morning, near Sydney Town Hall…"

Lisa caught bits and pieces of the news broadcast, but she was distracted by the emotion coming from the other patrons of the café. Several seemed heartbroken, and many were holding onto each other with their eyes glued to the TV. She felt a bit out of place. This wasn't her country; that wasn't her leader. But this was still frightening.

"…luckily only injuries were sustained, and the Prime Minister is in stable condition…"

A collective sigh of relief went through the café.

"…the only two suspects at this point haven't been apprehended…"

Hearing that the man would indeed live comforted her a little, but it was still chilling to know that there was sniper fire happening not far from where she was. But this clearly appeared to be an assassination attempt, not an attack on the general populace.

She continued her walk toward the trashcan and threw away her cup, then headed for the door intending to return to her hotel. She'd feel safer there.

"…a member of the Prime Minister's staff claims to have been held and threatened by a man, now a suspect, that demanded covert information about the Prime Minister's whereabouts and itinerary…"

Her interest was peaked again, and she stopped to look back at the TV.

"…Thomas Barger, the member of staff, claims he was questioned and held at knifepoint for several hours before barely escaping with his life…"

Lisa stepped a little closer.

"…he describes the suspect as about 5'10, 170 lbs., brown hair, blue eyes, and an American accent. Authorities are investigating…"

Lisa's eyes widened and her mouth dropped. Those stats sounded extremely familiar…

_It can't be. That's impossible._

"Why the hell would an American be involved in this?" a strong male voice asked loudly, causing other café patrons to murmur amongst themselves in an attempt to make sense of it all.

Unable to pull her eyes from the screen, Lisa listened intently.

"…police were provided a detailed description of the suspect, and a forensic artist has provided this sketch…"

Lisa felt her knees turn to liquid once the drawing appeared on the screen. A sudden flash of nausea struck her stomach, and she quickly reached out for a chair to keep from slumping to the floor. Her face broke out in a cold sweat.

It was Jackson. There was no question.

"Are you okay, lady?" a young male voice asked.

The last thing she remembered was falling back into someone's arms.

Everything went black.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N Let me explain myself a bit concerning the way I end chapters. I've gotten SO much feedback from readers that I'm always leaving cliffhangers, it's frustrating, etc. I understand that I leave cliffhangers sometimes, but most of the time I just feel like it's the end of a scene. And in reality, leaving on a good part keeps ME interested in continuing the story as well, which means faster updates. Just as you can't wait to read the next chapter, I can't wait to write it!**

**Anywho, enough of that. Enjoy the chapter!**

Lisa awoke hours later back in her hotel room, uncomfortably hot, with a pounding headache. She kicked the blankets off of herself for some relief, and gently massaged her forehead. At first she had to remind herself of where she was. She quickly looked around the room. So she was still in Australia. So all of this had really happened.

She had a vague memory of being awoken by café patrons, and begging them not to call an ambulance for her when they expressed concern. But she seemed dazed and disoriented, so someone called a taxi for her and had her sent straight back to her hotel. She remembered getting on the elevator, and walking to her hotel room, and collapsing onto her bed. But that's all.

_Jackson_.

Pain ripped through her chest as the thought she'd been attempting to block finally pushed itself to the surface of her consciousness.

This couldn't be. It was impossible.

It was all so unreal that her brain couldn't fully process it. The man she'd been so attracted to, whom she'd kissed, and dreamed about…was an attempted murderer? A criminal? It was too absurd to be true. She pictured his dreamlike blue eyes, remembered his heady scent, relived what it felt like to lean against him and feel his strong arm around her. Her Jackson was intelligent, arrogant, handsome, sensual…That same man was involved in a full-fledged high profile assassination?

She felt sick. This simply couldn't be. She had to be wrong. Maybe he'd been wrongfully accused. It was possible, right? Surely there were other men that looked like Jackson. She could be jumping to conclusions…

She stared at the large flat screen television across from the bed. There was most certainly news coverage of the assassination attempt still playing. She hesitated, unable to bring herself to turn it on. If she watched the news and saw the drawing of the suspect again, it could confirm that she'd been right all along. Or it could confirm that it wasn't him.

_Please, God, don't let it be true…_

Pushing herself up from the bed, Lisa reached for the remote with shaking hands and turned on the TV. News coverage instantly appeared on the screen, as surely all channels were covering the story. It didn't sound like there had been many new developments since she'd watched the original broadcast hours before. The Prime Minister was in stable condition, police were investigating… everything she'd heard before. Her ears pricked up when they mentioned the suspects again.

"…although it's possible that one or two people could've carried out this crime, investigators say this is more likely the work of a larger organization, although none have stepped forward to claim responsibility…"

Lisa's stomach dropped as her mind flashed back to Jackson speaking vaguely about his company. He'd told her so little about it. If this was all true, how could he have told her anything?

She waited for the news anchor to say something that would deny that it was possible for Jackson to be involved in this, but the words never came.

"…police are still looking for the highest priority suspect, again described as American, about 5'10, medium-length brown hair, blue eyes…"

Lisa felt numb as they flashed the forensic artist's drawing on the screen again. She scanned it with her eyes, over and over, looking for a trace of evidence that it couldn't possibly be him. But it was. The drawing had his hair, his nose…his lips…his jaw…

It was Jackson. She couldn't deny it.

Having seen enough, she slowly raised the remote control again and pressed the button to turn off the TV. She tossed it to the floor and stared at the wall, unblinking. Her emotions couldn't decide how to react. She didn't know whether to cry, or scream, or vomit…

Finally she felt her throat begin to choke, and she began to shake violently as a sob escaped her lips. She covered her face to her hands and felt wet tears sting her eyes. She sobbed again as they finally spilled down her cheeks, and she lay back down on the bed and squeezed a pillow to her chest. Pain squeezed viciously around her heart. She wanted to stop sobbing, but she couldn't. Her body ached. The throb she felt was indescribable, something she'd never experienced before.

Everything she'd felt for Jackson the last few days sickened her now. Every daydream about him, every fantasy…It made her want to vomit.

Suddenly she hated him. Hated him for betraying her, for seducing her... He was an animal. Sick. Twisted. Without conscience. Violent…maybe even evil. And she'd fallen for his act. She'd let him deceive her. How could she have been so stupid? She felt incredibly foolish and naïve. How could she have been so ridiculously trusting of a total stranger, just because he was handsome and charming?

But it suddenly all made sense. Him being so mysterious, so hesitant to elaborate on himself, especially his work. Of course he wouldn't tell her anything about this.

After several minutes, she finally felt the sobs begin to subside. She curled into the pillows as the tears slowly dripped down her cheeks, and let her mind wander again to the Jackson she'd met on the plane. Her heart broke even more to fully realize that that man wasn't real. He was an act…a charade. The Jackson she'd fallen for didn't exist. He was a lie. She wondered how many other women had fallen for his act.

_I'm so fucking _stupid_._

Pushing herself up, she wiped tears from her cheeks and looked down at the phone next to her bed. She could call the police. It would give her a sense of justice to report him. Surely telling them which flight he'd come in on would give them some sort of lead. He deserved for her to get some vengeance.

She reached for the phone, but hesitated, and slowly put it back down. She wasn't sure what held her back, but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to make the call.

She stared at the phone for several minutes, but didn't pick it up again.

….

The hours passed quickly, and the sun was beginning to set on the horizon.

Lisa stood at the large picture window of her room and stared out at a gorgeous view that brought her no joy. She contemplated her options. Part of her ached to go home, to just get away from all this. But how could she possibly explain this to anyone? And part of her felt like her going home would be like surrendering – letting Jackson win. Well she would _not_ alter her plans because of him. She wasn't going to let him affect her at all. He meant nothing.

Her stomach flared when she realized tomorrow was day four, and Jackson had said he would come in three or four days. But surely he was out of the country by now, right? He was most certainly on the run. There was no way he'd risk being seen around Sydney with a picture of him plastered all over the news. He was too smart for that.

Still, her heart clenched in dread at the prospect of him showing up. He'd now proven himself to be vicious and violent, and who knows what he might do to her if he came.

She felt fresh tears prick her eyes when she suddenly thought again of how sincere he'd seemed with her at their goodbye. He'd kissed her so sweetly, and had been so affectionate with her. Who _was_ that guy? How was it possible that he was the same person?

Lisa quickly stifled the soft image and ordered herself to stop holding on to her original perception of him. That Jackson didn't exist.

It suddenly occurred to her that if she was going to stay in Sydney, she should at least change hotels. He knew where she was staying, and that was his only way of finding her. Even if he was still in the city and wanted to see her, he wouldn't be able to find her.

Moving quickly, she packed up all her things. She was out the door in less than five minutes.

…

Lisa's new hotel room wasn't nearly as grand as the first, but she decided it would do under the circumstances. There was a faint scent of antiseptic when she walked in, and the room seemed stiff, cold, and somewhat uninviting.

"At least it's clean," she mumbled to herself as she pulled her large suitcase behind her. Needing to keep busy, she unpacked all of it and put her folded clothes in drawers, hung up her dresses, and laid out her shoes.

Darkness had fallen, and Lisa realized how incredibly exhausted she was. She wandered into the small bathroom to prepare for bed and looked at herself in the mirror. Damn, she looked awful. Her mascara had run and blotched beneath her eyes, her nose was red, and her hair was an awful mess. It was clear she'd had a rough day. She must've made quite an impression at the front desk when she'd first checked in.

A hot shower soothed her somewhat, as did pulling on her pajamas. The soft blue pajama pants and tank top were infinitely more comfortable than the skirt and top she'd been wearing all day.

She curled into the stiff bed and tried to sleep.

…..

It was a restless night. Lisa tossed and turned, tortured by nightmares when she was asleep and painful memories when she was awake. She began to long for the sun to come up and end the torture of trying to sleep.

In the midst of a dream she realized Jackson's scent was wafting to her nostrils. Even in her dream her heart clenched with memories, saddened that the warmth she'd associated with that scent was gone. Opening her eyes slowly, she looked over and realized it was almost 3am. Sighing, she sat up and decided to stop fighting her body. She couldn't sleep now. The nightmares were almost more painful than reality. Deciding to get herself a drink of water, she flicked on the light.

"Lisa."

She jumped and pulled the blankets to her neck, her heart suddenly pounding like mad.

Jackson was staring at her from across the room. Her eyes connected with his, and an unexpected wave of their intense chemistry washed over her. His very presence did things to her. Was this even real? Was she dreaming again? His hair was mussed, and there were dark circles beneath his eyes.

"I'm sorry I startled you…" he said softly, taking a step toward her.

He was real.

"Stay back!" she shouted, throwing the blankets off of herself and running to the opposite corner of the room from him, her chest heaving.

Jackson's blue eyes widened, then grew annoyed.

"Lisa…" he scolded, holding his hands out in front of him.

"I said stay away from me!" she shouted again, pressing her back to the wall. Her mind moved quickly as she searched for something to defend herself with.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I see someone's been watching the news," he said with resignation as he studied her. After a silent moment, he took another step toward her.

Her eyes widened and she moved her feet quickly to maintain the gap between them.

"Why the hell are you acting like I'm going to hurt you?" he demanded, clearly perturbed by her behavior.

"I have no reason to believe you won't," she answered breathlessly, still looking for something to use as a weapon.

Her answer clearly displeased him.

They stared at each other, and Jackson's brow lowered in true frustration. Before she could react, he lunged at her. She screamed and tried to elude him, but he quickly grabbed hold of her. She pushed and clawed at him, her breathing spiked with fear.

"No! Please!" she pleaded when he finally grabbed hold of her wrists. He pressed them back against the wall, and pinned her with his body.

"Lisa," he said in a dominant voice, pressing her tightly against the wall. "_Calm the_ _fuck down_."

As if involuntarily, she stopped struggling. Her chest heaved beneath his, and she forced herself to look at him. He looked angry, but not in a threatening way.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said firmly, his face inches from hers as he looked into her eyes intently. "Do you understand me?"

She studied him, then nodded slowly. Something about his demeanor made her believe him.

His eyes brushed over her face, still angry, but Lisa still detected the slightest hint of longing. He sighed and released her, and she had to catch herself from falling to the floor. Walking away from her, he lowered himself onto the bed.

She stood near the wall and watched him, her heart still pounding.

"How did you find me?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

He laughed sarcastically.

"After all that's happened, that's your first question for me?"

She stared at the floor and said nothing. She had too many questions for him to even know where to start.

"You weren't supposed to know about this. It wasn't supposed to happen this way," he finally said.

She was quiet, still trying to process his presence.

"Hell, _none_ of this was supposed to happen this way," he added, almost to himself, rubbing his face with his hands. He looked exhausted.

"Why are you here?" she asked, still not moving from her spot near the wall. "Shouldn't you be…'on the run', or something? Because you know everyone is looking for you…"

"I _know_, Lisa," he snapped. "I'm not an imbecile. Do you have any idea how hard it was to get here tonight, especially since you decided to change hotels for some reason?"

"Then why are you here?" she repeated.

He hesitated, then looked at her with intense eyes.

"Because I promised you I would come."

She stared at him, refusing to be touched by the sentiment. He would risk getting caught just to come see her? He probably just needed a place to hide out.

"Well what if I don't want you here?" she replied defiantly, her chin lifting. "You _lied_ to me…"

He suddenly rose from the bed angrily, fists clenched.

"I did _not_ lie to you," he spat. "I didn't lie to you about _anything_."

"Well it _feels_ like a lie," she spat back, trying to keep tears from spilling over her cheeks. She refused to cry in front of him. "You present yourself as this nice guy, when in fact you're…you're…"

"I'm what?" he asked tersely, stepping toward her again.

She unconsciously pressed back against the wall as he approached, her stomach clenching with anxiety. He was no longer an object of affection for her, but an object of fear.

He stopped in front of her, his eyebrows raised in expectation.

Her mouth wouldn't form the words.

_A criminal. Assassin. Murderer_.

"I'm still the same guy, Lisa", he said softly when she wouldn't answer him. "It's still me…" He lifted his hand and reached for her cheek.

She jerked away from him, refusing to soften. Nothing he said now would change what he had done.

"You almost killed someone," she insisted, moving away from him again.

He sighed irritably.

"_I_ wouldn't have killed him," he explained like it was obvious. "That's not my responsibility."

She stared at him, as if seeing him for the first time. Her handsome Jackson talking about murder as if it were some sort of chore.

"But you held him…at knifepoint…" she continued, quoting from the newscast.

"I do whatever is necessary to get the information we need," he clarified matter-of-factly. "I'm the interrogator, Lisa. I get the information we need and make things happen. Sometimes things just get a little…complicated."

She digested his words. But it didn't matter that he himself wasn't the murderer – he was still involved.

"I should've known you wouldn't understand this," he added, shaking his head at himself.

"But the plan failed," she continued, gauging his reaction. "The prime minister's alive."

He nodded grimly.

"My guy fuckin' missed his shot," he explained, looking irritated. "It doesn't happen very often."

"But why him?" she probed, trying to make sense of it all.

"Who?"

"The Prime Minister."

"Hell, I don't know," he answered, moving away from her again and sitting back down on the bed. "It's not my job to ask questions. The client pays, and we play. I do my part, move on."

"And how the _hell_ did you get involved in something like this?" she asked, her voice elevating.

He shrugged.

"I've been doing it for years."

A sting pricked her chest.

"_Years_?"

He nodded.

Lisa threw her arms up and went to the window, turning her back on him. She couldn't process this. It was impossible.

"I just can't believe…" she finally whispered. "…that whole time we were together on the plane, you were just coming here to…"

"Unlike you, apparently," he interrupted, approaching her from behind. "I've learned to separate my personal and professional lives."

She froze when she felt his hands gently touch her upper arms.

"That guy you met on the plane…that's still me, Leese." His hands brushed up and down her skin, sending chills down her spine. She felt numb, mesmerized by his demeanor, and was unable to react. His breath was hot on the back of her neck.

"And that guy you saw on the TV," he continued, turning her around to face him, causing her to lose her breath again. "…is also me. But you don't have to meet him," he added with a smirk.

Their intense chemistry forced itself upon her again, but she tried to see through the fog of his charm. She couldn't let herself fall for it. Not again.

His blue eyes brushed over her face, unhidden longing deep within them. Why did he have to be so gorgeous…?

"God, I missed you…" he continued, clearly encouraged that she was letting him touch her. He leaned in to kiss her, and she swiftly came back into reality. She jerked her head away and pulled from his grasp, stepping several feet away.

"I don't want you here," she whispered in a firm voice, finally letting the tears spill. She turned to face him, forcing herself to look him in the eye. "You should go."

His expression turned hard.

"How can you be like this after what's happened between us?"

"None of that matters now," she said firmly. "What happened on the plane was…sick. Wrong. It should never been happened."

"Stop it, Lisa," he insisted, growing irritable. "You don't really think that. You're being irrational."

"No, I'm being rational for the first time since I met you!" she shouted, putting more space between them.

He was quiet, studying her.

"Leese…" he said softly, causing her to wince with the nickname's familiarity. "Relax. It's still me. Nothing's changed."

"Stop saying that!" she commanded. "I don't even know who you are. I can't reconcile what you've done with the man I met on the plane. It doesn't…work."

"Well regardless of what you think, I'm still the same guy who fell fucking _hard_ for you four days ago. Shouldn't the fact that I'm even here mean something to you?"

Despite her anger, this was beginning to break her heart and her focus.

_The man's a criminal, Lisa. _

It didn't matter what he said; it didn't change a thing he'd done. He was a liar, and he needed to leave.

"Just stop," she ordered, her voice breaking as she held her hands up in front of her. "I don't want to hear anymore. I don't want you here. Please…just go."

She broke eye contact with him and stared at the floor, her hands clenched into small fists.

He stood staring at her for several moments before she finally heard him quietly turn around and head for the door.

Lisa looked up just in time to see the back of him as he shut the door behind him.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N I know I was cranking chapters out pretty regularly a few weeks ago, but I had to finish up my graduate thesis which is NOW FINISHED! YAY! :-)**

**I love writing this story. And I hope you guys like this chapter!**

Lisa didn't leave her hotel room for three days.

Her chest felt constantly tight, like something was mercilessly squeezing at her heart. Her body felt weakened and shaky. She felt choked in the back of her throat, as if she was always on the brink of tears. Her emotions wanted to separate the man she pined for from the man that he was, but she resisted it. She both hated him and longed for him, which made her hate him even more.

She found comfort in long naps, long baths, bad movies on the TV – anything to shut out reality. She felt too foolish to show her face in public. It seemed like the entire ordeal she'd just been through was written all over her face, and she couldn't bear the thought of other people knowing about this. These people were despairing that their country's leader had nearly been killed, and she'd cared for a man who was responsible. She didn't deserve to be in their presence.

She cried often, but she usually only allowed it to go on for a few minutes before she forced herself to buck up. _He's not worth it_, she'd tell herself. Occasionally she would picture his face and the wounded and angry expressions he'd made when she'd rejected him, and her heart would break a little. But the sentiments were quickly replaced with memories of what he'd done, and who he was. It was enough to turn her cold.

Part of her wondered if he would return, and she actually feared the thought. It was impossible to imagine the pain it would cause her if he attempted to lure her back again. She wondered if he was angry with her, and would come back to do something about it. Who knows how someone like him would react to this sort of situation? Even though she figured he was long gone and out of the country by now, she still kept her hotel room door bolted. At one point it occurred to her that she didn't even know how he'd gotten into the room the first time. So she locked the windows as well and made sure at the hotel front desk that no one had been given a copy of her room key.

She eventually found watching television satisfyingly numbing, as most of the assassination attempt coverage had lessened to a degree. But anytime a newscast flashed on the screen, her stomach would flare and she would quickly change the channel. No reminders. As little thought about that man as possible.

She'd already decided not to breathe a word about this to her family or friends when she returned. It was too humiliating. She'd called her dad a couple times in order to get a touch of normalcy, planning to sound upbeat and excited about her vacation, but both times he hadn't been home. Still, hearing his voice on the voicemail message was comforting, even if it did make her pine for home. She stubbornly fought the urge to go home early. That was not the answer. She'd leave in three days, just as planned.

At the beginning of the fourth day, she found herself waking at a decent hour and getting in the shower. She dressed, and did her hair and makeup as normal. Apparently, she was ready to go outside.

…..

"With lemon, please."

The smiling waitress nodded and walked away.

Lisa sat at a small table on a restaurant veranda near the water. It was gorgeous weather, and the bright sun felt amazing on her skin, especially since she'd barely seen it for three days. Wanting to feel feminine and comfortable, she wore a soft pink cotton sundress and leather sandals. Being among people again felt good, and she watched the locals walk around her.

Sometimes she'd happen to overhear someone talking about the recent assassination attempt. Her ears would burn, wondering how the person would react if they knew that they were sitting near a woman who had been intimate with the terrorist responsible. She felt ashamed, and somehow guilty. She did her best to keep a low profile. Though it was nice to be with people again, she wasn't really in the mood to be noticed or strike up a conversation with anyone.

"Miss, can I bother you for some directions?"

Lisa turned toward the source of the heavily accented voice, and found herself looking into a pair of dark brown eyes. They were connected to a tanned, smiling face, and a shock of blonde hair. The lanky man was sitting at a table near hers. She hadn't noticed him before.

"I'm sorry, I'm not from around here," she said softly with a slightly apologetic smile.

The man's eyebrows rose at the sound of her voice.

"American?"

"Yes."

"What brings you to Sydney?" he continued, turning himself more toward her.

Lisa forced her expression stay friendly, hoping to avoid encouraging him. While the man was handsome, the look in his eyes deterred her. He seemed interested, and she was in no mood to be hit on by anyone in the world right now.

"Just vacation," she answered succinctly, smiling politely before turning her gaze back out toward the intense blue water.

"Ahhh…" the man responded while leaning toward her, clearly not finished with their conversation.

The waitress arrived with the iced tea, and Lisa took the beverage and tried to turn away from the inquisitive man. She closed her eyes and took a long drink, savoring the cool liquid. When she opened her eyes again, she realized the man had risen from his table and was settling himself at hers.

"I'm actually from out of town too," he said with a smile as he lowered himself onto the seat. "But just a couple hours away. Not nearly as far as you."

Lisa fought irritation as she set her drink down on the table, then looked up at him. Oddly, the warmth of his dark eyes instantly struck her. He had a genuine look about him, and his overly long blonde hair hung in his eyes. If she was in a different mood, she might even consider him good-looking. She winced and tried not to think of Jackson.

"So what brings _you_ to Sydney?" she asked, deciding to be courteous. Perhaps this was just what she needed – normal interaction with someone.

"Just wanted to have a look-see," he replied, sitting back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest. "Don't get to come to the city much these days."

She nodded and briefly looked away, her body language still a bit guarded.

"Are you here by yourself?" she asked softly, turning her eyes back toward him.

"No," he said with a smile, uncrossing his arms and leaning forward again. "Here with a few of my mates. But they ran off to the pier again, and I've about had my fill of that on this trip. Decided to run off on my own for a while."

"You're tired of sailing?"

"Yeah, I know. Crazy, right?" he replied with a crooked smile. "Just got tired of them pushing me into the water all the time, I guess."

She laughed, something she hadn't done in several days. He chuckled with her.

"What about you?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Are you here alone?"

Her stomach flared a bit at the question, knowing that it was probably an inevitable one. His expression was even and friendly, although she searched for anything sinister behind his eyes when he asked. She knew she could probably answer him honestly, but decided to play it safe.

"No, I'm here with some friends too," she replied, attempting a smooth lie. "They're…back at the hotel. I just stepped out for a bit."

He nodded, studying her.

She was somewhat pleased to be talking to someone, but the look in his eyes bothered her. He was clearly attracted to her, and she was absolutely not in the mood for that. She just wanted someone to be friendly with.

"So have you liked it here so far?" he continued.

She smiled softly, wondering how he'd react if she suddenly poured out a rundown of her experiences in the last week. No sane person would believe her.

"Yeah, it's been nice," she replied.

The conversation continued for several more minutes, and Lisa grew more at ease with the man. She learned his name was Dominic, that he was two years younger than her, and a graduate student. And he was very nonthreatening.

"I hope this doesn't seem out of line…" he began after they'd been talking for a while, eyeing her carefully.

Lisa inwardly groaned and waited for the inevitable.

"…but my mates and I were going to go out dancing tonight. Would you…and your friends…want to come along?"

So he wasn't really proposing a date.

"You dance?" she laughed softly. He didn't seem like the type.

"Well…yeah," he replied, wondering at her reaction. "Is that strange to you?"

She shook her head and smiled at him.

"No."

He nodded, his eyebrows raised in expectation.

"So will you come?"

Lisa hesitated. She appreciated the invitation, but the thought of going out with a group of strangers tonight wasn't really what she had in mind. She still felt a bit guarded, and couldn't really imagine herself out in a loud public setting like that.

"That's nice of you, but I think the girls already had plans for us tonight," she lied, feeling slightly guilty.

His face dropped.

"Are you sure? I'm sure it'll be loads of fun. It usually gets kind of crazy actually…"

She just smiled at him.

"I'm sure," she said softly, watching his brown eyes drop. "But I really do appreciate the invite."

He nodded, his lips pressing into a line.

"Well, in case you change your mind," he insisted, reaching for a napkin and pulling a pen from his pocket. "Here's where we're going." He scribbled on the napkin and handed it to her. "We'll be there all night."

She took it from him, charmed by his persistence.

"Thanks," she said, folding it and putting it in her purse.

He nodded again and stood awkwardly.

"It was really nice to meet you, Miss Lisa," he said, holding out his hand.

She shook it, noticing his callused skin and getting her last look of his warm brown eyes.

"You too," she smiled, truly sorry to see him go. He'd been pleasing company.

"Hope to see you later!" he added, stepping away from her.

She watched him walk away and sipped her tea, then turned to watch the seagulls fly along the water.

….

Lisa sat cross-legged on her bed. She stared from across the room at the soft and flowy blue dress, the gift from her mother, that was hanging in the closet of her hotel room. It was a bit sweet for a dance club, but it could work.

She sighed and fell back onto the pillows. It was unclear to her why she was even considering going out tonight, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this was something she needed to do. Probably because she'd spent so much of her vacation miserable. Going out with Dominic and his friends would probably be very enjoyable, and would help distract her from the jabs of pain that assaulted her every time she'd think of Jackson. Maybe this would help her forget. Maybe _he_ would help her forget.

She still hesitated. She didn't want to give this new man the wrong impression, and showing up tonight without her fabricated girlfriends might send the wrong signal. And did she really want to meet a group of men she didn't know at a nightclub in a foreign city?

She huffed at the thinking and reminded herself that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. After all, she'd taken this entire trip alone, and even survived a devastating setback. And she deserved to have fun tonight. This might be her last opportunity for adventure on this vacation, and her impending flight home was coming up fast. She both longed for and dreaded that day.

Making her decision, she rose from the bed and headed for the shower. After she was clean and shaved, she pulled her hair into a messy updo and smudged dark gray eye shadow around her eyes. Loads of mascara. If she was going out tonight, she was going to look the part.

She pulled the silky dress over her head, smoothing it down her body, and noted that her mother had always had great taste. The dress looked fantastic on her, and the soft blue material set off the tone of her skin perfectly. She pulled on some heels and swiped a pink gloss across her lips.

Finally, she stared at herself in the mirror to take in the final product. She thought she looked nice, but the smoky eyes helped offset the nice-girl image. An all-familiar stab of pain struck her chest at the memory that this was the outfit she'd planned to wear when Jackson had come, but she stifled the thought as best she could. She wasn't going to let him ruin this for her too.

She grabbed her purse and reached for the napkin Dominic had given her.

As she placed the napkin back in her purse, she caught a glimpse of the can of pepper spray she'd brought with her for the trip. She'd forgotten it was even in there, but now figured this might be a good time to consider having it handy. Reaching for it, she placed it in a more easily accessible part of her purse. The likelihood of needing it was low, but especially considering the recent events, it made her feel a bit safer.

Pulling her bag over her shoulder, Lisa took one last look in the mirror before heading out the door.

…..

It was cooler outside than she'd expected. She stared at the vague directions the front desk manager had given her, assuring her it was easy to get there. He also assured her it wasn't far, which was lucky, so she decided just to walk there from her downtown hotel.

The streets were busy with people coming and going, and the lights were bright, so she felt rather safe as she walked. Her heels clicked on the sidewalk and her dress fluttered around her, occasionally causing people to look in her direction, particularly men.

Glancing down at her directions while pausing at a street corner, she realized it was time to turn, and she looked down the street that she was to turn on. It was much less populated, which caused a small tickle of apprehension in her stomach. But she pressed on, turning the corner and moving deliberately. She'd decided to do this, so she was going to do it.

Offhandedly she wondered how Dominic would interpret her arriving alone, but she figured she could come up with an acceptable lie to explain things away. And even though he was handsome and pleasant, she swore upon a mental Bible that she was not going to use him as a way to comfort herself about Jackson. He was a new friend – that was all. He would help her have fun tonight.

As she walked, she realized the street seemed to grow darker and quieter, which irritated her a little. How far away was this place, anyway? The desk manager made it sound like it was barely three blocks away, and it seemed like she'd been walking for a long time.

The clicking of her heels on the sidewalk seemed louder and more pronounced to her, which made her fear drawing unwanted attention to herself on the quiet street. She glanced around herself occasionally, trying to stay aware of her surroundings and internally praying that the place she was looking for was close. She decided to ask Dominic to walk her back to her hotel after this was over.

_Yeah, like _that_ won't give him the wrong idea…_

Finally she realized there were bright colorful lights flashing in the distance, which calmed her a little. That must be the club. She walked more deliberately toward it, not taking her eyes from her goal. Once she reached the place, she would feel better.

She stopped when she suddenly heard a low whistle coming from close behind her.

"_Wow_. Where you headin' tonight, angel?" a scruffy voice asked, so heavily accented she could barely make it out.

Her heart rate increased, and she began walking as quickly as she could in her heels. He was probably just some drunk sitting in an alley. If she kept walking, he would ignore her. Her eyes remained on the flashing lights ahead.

"Hey," the voice insisted from behind, the owner of which was clearly following her. "I asked you a question."

"Leave me alone," Lisa ordered in a gruff voice she didn't hear often from herself. Her mind quickly flashed to the pepper spray in her purse, which she was hoping to never use. She maneuvered her purse around so she could reach in and grab it at a moment's notice if necessary.

"I'm just tryin' to be friendly," that voice retorted in a snide voice, still close behind her. "And you're being fuckin' impolite."

Drunk perhaps, but still fully coherent. He was irritated, and Lisa felt her heart rate increase even more. She was still too far from the club at this point, and a quick glance around her revealed empty streets. It appeared to just be her and this thug right now.

"I _said_ I asked you a _question_," the man growled, almost right behind her. She reached into her purse and wrapped her fingers around the pepper spray, preparing herself to use it.

Before she could react, she felt herself being grabbed from behind and thrust into an open alley. Her purse, with the pepper spray, fell from her hand. She screamed and fought, but a large, rough hand quickly pressed over her mouth, muffling her cries. Finally the large man turned her around, and she was face-to-face with her attacker. It was dark, but she could make out a rough male form. His heavy forehead and broad nose were almost primitive-looking.

"You're prettier than I thought," the man observed, his revolting face mere inches from hers.

In spite of being held and subdued, Lisa jerked and twisted in an effort to escape, and she attempted to cry out against the grimy hand. Fear pulsed through her veins, particularly fear of the unknown. What the hell did he want? What was he planning to do to her?

"Stop squalling," he ordered irritably. "I ain't gonna hurt you."

She ignored the order and continued to squirm in his hold. Finally she thought to bite at his fingers, and she bit down forcefully. He howled and loosened his hold. She tried to take advantage of the situation and get away, but he quickly grabbed her again, even more forcefully than before.

"Fuck!" he growled, pushing her roughly against the brick wall of the alley.

Her head smacked back against the brick, disorienting and weakening her. She felt helpless and alone, wishing so badly that she hadn't dropped her pepper spray.

He chuckled heartily.

"You're a feisty little thing, ain'tcha?" he laughed as she continued to weakly struggle.

Suddenly her attacker froze, causing her to look up at him. The man looked like he was in shock. She didn't know what was going on, but she took advantage of the situation and pulled out of his grasp. Taking a few safe steps away, she looked back at him and couldn't believe what she saw.

Jackson was standing behind him, holding a gun to the back of his head.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blow your fucking brains out," he growled in a low voice, pressing against the man's head with the gun and pushing him face first against the brick wall.

Lisa stood in shock, unable to believe he was actually there, and that he was about to murder her attacker.

The man was visibly shaking, and slowly lifted his hands to show Jackson that he wasn't armed.

"C'mon, mate," the man insisted in a terrified voice, his word muffled by the wall. "I wasn't gonna hurt her, see?" Jackson's expression didn't change. "I was just…having some fun with her…see…?"

"_Bullshit_," Jackson spat, pressing the gun harder against the man's head. "Well then I'm gonna have some fun with _you_." With that he roughly grabbed the man's arm and turned him around, swiftly pressing the pistol harshly against his neck. The man's face looked petrified, his eyes wide with terror.

Lisa was almost too terrified and shaken to move, but knew that she had to stop Jackson from killing this man. She quickly ran to him.

"Jackson, stop," she pleaded, placing a hand on his arm. "I'm fine. Let's just get out of here. _Please_."

Without looking at her, he gently pushed her away with his free hand, not wavering with the gun against the man's neck. Lisa stepped back dumbly, unsure what to do.

"You haven't given me a good reason yet," he spat again in the man's terrified face.

The man began to pitifully beg for his life, and Jackson sneered at him, clearly disgusted. With that he quickly lifted the gun and brought the butt of it down onto the man's head, knocking him to the ground.

Lisa screamed as the man hit the ground, then gasped when she realized he wasn't moving. She ran back up to him, disbelieving.

"Oh my god! _Is he dead_?"

Jackson studied her, then begrudgingly knelt down and felt for the man's pulse.

"No," he answered, almost sounding disappointed. "The piece of shit's alive."

He stood and tucked the pistol into the back of his pants.

Lisa stared, taking in the sight of him. He was dressed in dark clothing and looked just as exasperatingly attractive as always. How had he even known where she was? That she was in trouble? Why the _hell_ was he even still in Sydney?

Once he had righted himself Jackson allowed himself one lingering look at her, his eyes traveling up and down her body, then connecting with her eyes. Then to her surprise, he turned from her and starting walking away toward the dark part of the alley.

"Wait!" she insisted, stepping over the fallen man and running after him.

He didn't stop walking.

"Jackson," she pleaded, grabbing hold of his arm. "Stop."

He finally stopped and allowed her to turn him around to face her. She could tell even in the darkness that his expression was guarded.

"How did you find me?" Lisa breathed, her heart doing calisthenics at being close to him again, which confused her. Her emotions were in such a frenzy, a combination of thrill, attraction, shock, and incredible gratitude. Seeing the violent, aggressive side of him only compounded it all. Yet now she honestly believed he wouldn't hurt her.

He hesitated, clearly perturbed by her question.

"Don't ask me that, Lisa," he ordered. "It doesn't matter."

He could have been following her. But why? There wasn't time for her to mentally process that now.

"What matters," he continued, his eyes flaring with irritation. "Is that you shouldn't be walking around by yourself in the city at night. Especially when you're dressed like _that_." His eyes traveled down her body again, lingering at the neckline of her dress, before lifting again to her eyes.

Her first inclination was to insist that she could take care of herself, but what had just happened proved that she couldn't. She didn't even want to think about what could've happened if Jackson hadn't intervened.

"Thank you," she whispered, realizing she hadn't said it yet. "For helping me."

He stiffened at the words.

"Don't thank me. Just stop being so careless."

With that he turned away from her again.

"Wait!" she insisted, grabbing his arm again. "Why do you keep doing that? Where are you going?"

"You don't get to have it both ways, Lisa," he snapped matter-of-factly. "Don't think you can order me out of your fuckin' hotel room and then act like you want me around. It doesn't work that way, okay? I'm not your fucking puppy dog."

Incredibly, she actually felt guilty.

She stared at him and tried to process all of the emotions flooding through her. Things felt different now, and she didn't know how to handle it. While he was still the man she'd discovered three days ago – a violent, immoral criminal – seeing this other side of him somehow altered things for her. He'd rescued her and neatly punished the man responsible for hurting her. He _cared_ for her. Now, in this new light, he was also dominant, powerful, capable, and aggressive – a wild animal needing to be tamed. And although she would probably never admit it to anyone but herself, she found the sum of those parts incredibly, bafflingly sexy.

Her heart beat even faster at the realization that she wanted him again, maybe even more than before. This dark, dangerous creature wanted her, and the thought of getting a taste of that danger was intoxicating. Her mouth went dry as she studied him, allowing herself to take pleasure in the handsome features she hadn't even allowed herself to picture in the last several days. The cut of his jaw, the dark disheveled hair, the lean lines of his body…

Jackson hadn't turned from her again, and she could tell by his expression that he could sense something had changed between them. He took a careful step toward her, not taking his eyes from hers.

She felt hesitant, afraid she would do something she'd regret, but her unadulterated attraction to him in this moment was almost impossible to resist. And such a tiny part of her even wanted to put up a fight anymore.

Lisa didn't know who made the first move, but in the next second they were wrapped in each other's arms, their mouths locked in a fervent embrace.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N You guys: "Cami – You **_**bitch**_**! How dare you take so long to update! You deserve a spanking!"**

**Actually, everybody, you'd probably laugh (or feel sorry for me) if you knew how many times this chapter has been rewritten and edited. Believe me, I haven't just been ignoring it the last couple months. Bizarrely, this has been the weirdest chapter for me to write. And yes – this is short. That's mostly because I was finally happy with what was supposed to be the first part of the chapter, but then I ran into another writer's block again on the second part. (Grrrr…) So why not at least post what I'm happy with? Why the hell not?**

**Enjoy.**

The outside world – the alley, the city - had melted away…

Lisa clung to him, her arms wrapped around his neck as she moved her lips against his. The kiss was hot, needy…desperate. She felt him squeeze her to his chest, his fingers almost digging into her back, kissing her deeply.

Her heart pounded.

_This is wrong._

She pushed the thought as far back into her mind as it would go, ignoring the unwelcome prick of regret.

Jackson groaned in obvious need, the sound reverberating through her, as he ran his hands down her back and sides. The heat of his fingers seeped through the thin material of her dress, further stoking the fires that raged.

Her fingers caressed his strong jaw and neck, brushing over stubble and rough skin. His scent dizzied her, like a drug. Masculine…sultry…enticing. She felt addicted to him…captivated. She drank him in, lost in the way his mouth tasted and the way his body felt beneath her hands as she slid them across his chest and shoulders. He felt solid…powerful. She slid her arms around to his back, then slowly down the soft material of his shirt.

Her fingers brushed metal.

Gasping at the shock of feeling the weapon, she broke away slightly.

Jackson blinked at the sudden release, and then realized what had startled her. Chuckling, he pulled her back, hovering his face near hers. He studied her.

"You're a bit fickle, aren't you?" he smiled, his blue eyes charming.

"What do you mean?" Lisa whispered back, still hypnotized by his nearness. His hands had resumed their light brushing up and down her sides and hips.

"Well," he began, stealing another kiss. "You do keep changing your mind, Leese."

She stiffened slightly at his words but knew he was right. She was letting her emotions and hormones overtake her good judgment again. Yet running her eyes over his exquisite features, she allowed herself to want him without reticence. She was seduced by him, entranced by his dominance, his strength. That sense of the untamed barely suppressed beneath the surface. And it was incredibly sexy to her.

"I want you," she breathed, her stomach tickling at her own words as she grasped the front of his shirt. She knew some type of madness had overtaken her, but she didn't care. "Truly."

Jackson's eyes twinkled at her mischievously.

"Prove it."

She cried out when he suddenly pushed her back against the brick wall, trapping her with his body. He caught her lips in a rough kiss, his tongue meeting hers.

Lisa groaned as his hands began to shamelessly explore her body, grasping at forbidden curves, gliding over the silky material of her dress. His kiss was deep, wet…indicating his intentions. Her blood pulsed through her veins, the pounding of her heart loud in her ears as his lips slid down to her throat. He was so close…she could feel his own pounding heart against her breasts, feel his own need in the way he kissed her and held her to him. They wanted each other, and she knew there was no turning back this time.

Even in this moment she understood the shamelessness of it all…how perverse it was for her to want someone like him. Yet she loved the sick thrill, the excitement of lust coursing through her, of being desired by such a man. His hands could threaten, destroy…yet for now he used them to tempt, to seduce… caressing her body as if it was something exquisite.

The brick was cool against her back as his body blazed against hers.

Jackson kissed and nibbled at the crook of her neck as his hands suddenly reached beneath her dress, lifting the fabric. He brazenly pulled at her panties, his intentions clear.

"Jackson," she panted, pulling her hips away from him slightly to keep him from ripping the material from her body.

He paused for a moment, his chest heaving against hers, and his fingers rested on her thighs beneath the skirt.

"Not here," she whispered, intent on him knowing that she wasn't rejecting him again. She wanted him desperately, but not in an alley. Not amongst filth and grimy brick, not where people could see, and especially not so near to where Jackson's victim lay unconscious on the pavement.

He let out a long, frustrated sigh before lifting his head to look at her. His eyes were glossed over, fiery, intent on getting what he wanted. She knew he would not let her get away again.

"You're a damn tease, you know that?" he growled, his deep voice rumbling through her to the pit of her belly.

"No," she insisted, clinging to him and kissing him again. "I'm not trying to be. Isn't there anywhere…anywhere else we could go?"

He stared at her, his mind clearly considering the possibilities.

"My hotel?" she asked softly, picturing the large bed in her room. She longed for privacy, to be alone with him without fear of being discovered.

He contemplated for a moment, then his eyes twinkled at her again, sending another tickle through her stomach.

"I have a better idea," he murmured with a crooked smile, releasing her and taking hold of her hand. His grip was firm and clammy. "Come on."

"Wait," she protested, erasing his smile. "I need to get my purse." She quickly stepped around her attacker and reached for her bag, pulling it over her shoulder. "Okay." She took his hand again.

Jackson pulled her toward the dark part of the alley, her stomach tightening at the thought of where he could possibly be taking her. She glanced behind her and caught one last look at the pathetic, unconscious man lying on the pavement.

…

Jackson kept them in the shadows, through the alleys and dark streets.

"Where are we going?" Lisa finally asked after a few minutes of walking.

"Somewhere private," he answered simply, maintaining his pace.

The night had grown even cooler, and the breeze brushing across her bare shoulders and legs made her shiver.

It felt surreal, what she was doing. Willingly following a man like him through the streets of a foreign city, particularly with the intention of giving herself to him once they arrived at an unknown destination. She felt high with a sense of adventure, a sense of a danger, and repeatedly brushing her eyes over the impossibly appealing form that pulled her through the night kept her moving forward.

She wanted to feel safe with him. Not that she was afraid of anyone who might approach them; she knew Jackson could easily handle any confrontation. It was…of him…that she didn't wish to feel afraid. Could she really trust him? As much as she wanted to, she couldn't say for sure. And the exhilarating sense of danger prevailed.

As he pulled her through yet another alley it occurred to her that he needed to remain hidden. Of course they couldn't just waltz down a busy street. How had he gotten around the last several days since the assassination attempt? Where had he stayed?

It remained quiet between them, a thick sense of expectation and impatience in the air. Jackson moved hastily, or as quickly as her high heels would allow, his hand tightly grasping hers, intent on reaching their destination.

Her feet were really beginning to ache and there was no sign of their journey being over soon. It felt odd to question him, but this was starting to be too much. He pulled her further and further away from her hotel, from anything even remotely familiar. She worked to maintain his speed as her heels clicked on the pavement, but she realized he was now practically dragging her along.

After several minutes he stopped and looked at her, his eyes lightly impatient.

"What?" she asked.

"You're slowing."

"Oh. Sorry…it's just…these shoes…"

He glanced down at her strappy heels, his mouth upturning into an amused smile.

"I see," he teased, squeezing her hand. "We're almost to the car." He continued to pull her forward.

There was a car?

Although she was eager to get where they were going, she begrudgingly moved onward, her toes screaming for relief.

After a few more moments of walking Jackson stopped, hesitated, then turned around and studied her. Then prompting another gasp, he quickly reached for her and scooped her up in his arms. He moved forward, carrying her.

Lisa instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, blushing a deep pink at being carried like a child.

"You don't have to do this," she grumbled in a low voice.

He just chuckled softly and ignored her, moving ever onward.

A few brief minutes passed before Jackson finally left the alleys and headed toward a large parking lot. There were hundreds of cars, and she figured his must be among them. Carrying her through the sea of vehicles he finally stopped at an inconspicuous dark blue sedan. She recognized the symbol on the front as Audi, but didn't notice anything else of note about it. She offhandedly wondered if the car was his…or if his company had supplied it…or if he had stolen it…

He let her to her feet. Reaching into his pocket for the keys, he pressed the button to unlock the car.

She stared at the vehicle and wondered how far away they were from her hotel, and how much further he was planning to take her. This was really starting to get out of hand.

"Do we really need the car?" she asked, running impatient eyes over him as he headed for the driver's side. Part of her felt she would follow him almost anywhere at this point as long as there was a bed and privacy, but the fire that burned within her still waxed hot. She wanted him _now_. Was all this really necessary? "I mean where the _hell_ – "

He approached and slid his hands around her waist, silencing her.

"Be patient," he commanded against her lips, his voice seductive and soft. "It'll be worth it."

She froze, her body instantly aware of him, awaiting a kiss.

He pulled back slightly, and she watched his gaze slowly travel down her face, then her neck, then finally resting on her cleavage. He looked up and gave her a little smile, then abruptly reached up and took hold of both her shoulder straps. She gasped when he suddenly pulled them from her shoulders, taking them down far enough to expose the tops of her breasts.

"What are you – "

Before she could move to cover herself, he lowered his head and nuzzled into the exposed flesh. Bringing his hands up to cup her, he squeezed and pressed desperate kisses to her skin, as if he was exceptionally thirsty and her breasts were the cool drink of water. Shocked, Lisa felt sudden lightning bolts of arousal shooting through her, and in that moment she didn't know whether to protest and push him away or to tangle her fingers into his hair and press him closer.

The intimate contact was brief. Jackson soon lifted his head and looked at her again, his eyes glazed with want.

She stared at him in bewilderment, releasing the breath that had caught. Her body was absolutely aching with the deep throbbing he kept provoking but couldn't yet relieve.

_Dear god, how much further…_

"Get in the car," he ordered huskily, sliding her straps back in place. He turned from her and headed for the driver's side door.

Quickly dismissing any reason to object, she hastily obeyed him.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N I'm telling you right now, you're going to HATE me for where I end this chapter, so I apologize in advance. I hope the fact that I'm finally updating at all will soften some of your angry feelings. ;-) ha**

**I offer no real excuse for this story's long hiatus other than the fact that my "real" life has gotten in the way, I've struggled with which direction to take this chapter, and I simply haven't really felt like writing. I'm posting what I have complete simply because I'm tired of it just sitting not getting read by those of you who are waiting for me to continue.**

**I hope you like it.**

Lisa stared out the window as the buildings began to pass, her fingers fidgeting furiously in her lap. She listened to the humming of the vehicle's engine, the barely audible murmur of an expensive car.

Her entire body buzzed with overwhelming exhilaration, a bit of shock, and a sense of alarm about where this man could possibly be taking her. Just thirty minutes ago she was walking toward a dance club trying to forget him, and now she had put herself at his mercy again, physically and emotionally. She'd completely lost her head.

Jackson drove quickly – almost _too_ quickly – and she hoped he was keeping in mind that catching the attention of police would throw a wrench in their plans.

"Is it far?" she asked softly, needing to hear him speak again. Going from passionate kissing in an alley to sitting quietly next to each other felt odd.

"No…not far."

Lisa shifted in her seat. She was so aware of him that the very sound of his voice seduced her. Every syllable seemed to positively drip with sex.

They sat in silence for the most part, Jackson muttering curses under his breath whenever they'd have to wait for a stoplight. The latest string of hushed profanity prompted her to glance at him with a light smirk. She ran her eyes for the thousandth time over his intoxicating features. She released a choked breath, and realized she was beginning to ache for him so badly it was getting painful. Her fingers trembled in her lap.

As if he could read her thoughts, Jackson reached over and placed a hand on her knee. She watched, hypnotized, as his fingers brushed lightly over the thin material that covered her thigh, caressing her.

God, she even loved his _hands_…

His eyes still on the road, he ran his fingers up and down her leg. Although the touch was enticing, it slowly began to drive her mad, causing persistent arousal to squeeze at her insides and demand attention. She squirmed in her seat again and quickly became frustrated with him for provoking her while still making her wait for him. Just as her frustration mounted, he dared to slip a few fingers beneath the hem of her dress.

She pushed his hand away.

"Please don't do that," she said breathlessly, trying to control her pounding heart.

Jackson glanced at her inquisitively out of the corner of his eye.

"What's wrong?"

"I just think we should keep our hands to ourselves for now," she said softly toward the window. She longed for the privacy that he promised awaited them. It was all she could think about.

Jackson huffed but said nothing.

As he pulled the car to a stop at yet another red light she heard him release another low sigh. Aggravated herself, she considered questioning him again about the necessity of this seemingly never-ending car ride, but decided against it.

She cried out in surprise when she felt him suddenly grab her, pulling her in for an aggressive embrace. His hand held her at the nape of her neck, pressing her mouth to his. She responded instantly, opening her lips to him and tangling her fingers into his hair. Being able to kiss him again was both a relief and a provocation, and she moaned softly against him. Jackson kept pulling her to him until she was almost in his lap, his arms wrapped around her body, his mouth never leaving hers.

Finally the blare of an angry car horn behind the Audi broke them apart. Jackson instantly released her, and she moved back into her own seat. He quickly put his foot on the gas and propelled the car forward beneath the green light.

Buildings began passing again, although they were seemingly becoming fewer and farther between. He'd taken them out of town, away from city lights. Lisa had spent her entire vacation basically within the city itself, and moving away from it took away the sense of familiarity she'd developed during her stay. They'd driven through a dense suburb, then through a small residential area. Finally they reached open road. Expansive fields appeared on either side of them, a bright moon shining its light across the pavement.

Neither of them said a word.

The further he took them the more she realized how incredibly vulnerable she was making herself to this man. As much as she wanted him, she had to remember that Jackson was still a criminal, and putting herself in such company under any circumstances wasn't wise. It could be downright dangerous. Yet she still wanted him.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_

Did she want him _because_ he was dangerous…or in spite of it? When they'd first met there had been some sort of raw animal attraction…a magnetism she couldn't explain that only intensified the more they interacted. Then she'd found out what he was…

She glanced at him again, noticing he had begun to bite at his bottom lip. She suddenly remembered the sneer on his lips when he was threatening the man who'd attacked her, and another chill tickled her stomach. He'd seemed so menacing, and it had thrilled her.

_But that means I should be afraid of him. Shouldn't I?_

He'd never given her any reason to fear him personally – right? Lisa rubbed her temples, her brain clouded with a million emotions she couldn't sort out right now. But one emotion still stood out above all of the others…

_Lust_.

Sexy and menacing was a volatile combination.

Jackson turned onto a side road.

A thrill and a clench of fear ran through her when she realized the vehicle was slowing, and wherever they were going, they were almost there. How long had it been…thirty minutes? Forty?

Finally he pulled into the driveway of a discreet, unremarkable house at the end of the road that was almost completely hidden by thick trees. It had two stories, a light gray color, and the windows were dark. A single dim light shone from the front porch. While she'd admit she didn't know what to expect, a conventional house certainly wasn't on her list of possibilities.

"Is this where you live?" Lisa asked as he pulled the car into the garage, feeling her stomach tightening into a bundle of nerves.

"No," he answered, raising a puzzled eyebrow at her question. "Just for the last few days."

She nodded and examined the spotless garage. What the hell? Was this someone's house? Were any of his "friends" here?

"Don't worry – we shouldn't be bothered here," he explained further, putting the car into park.

She knew any more questions about this place would probably go unanswered, so she didn't bother. Nodding, she swallowed hard and looked down at her lap. Her mouth had done terribly dry; her tongue felt like a thick sock in her mouth. Although every part of her wanted him desperately, she found herself reeling with apprehension. She was not really afraid of him, but herself. What was about to happen – sex with a handsome stranger who just happened to be an assassin – was the type of thing that should most certainly remain a fantasy. And yet here she was, about to act on it.

There was no way this could end well.

Jackson turned off the engine and opened his door, stepping out of the car. Lisa hesitantly followed suit, feeling her legs begin to shake beneath her.

He led her inside. He locked the door behind them and flicked on an overhead lamp, casting soft light into the room. The door from the garage had led them into a tasteful kitchen, which seemed to lead into a large living room area.

She took a few careful steps into the kitchen, inspecting her surroundings. The place was immaculate, and stylishly – if coldly – furnished. Everything seemed surprisingly normal…inconspicuous. Just like Jackson.

"Should we be here?" she asked hesitantly over her shoulder. It felt odd to be in an unfamiliar house. It felt a little dangerous, especially considering Jackson's circumstances. The place didn't seem very secure, even if it was out in the middle of nowhere.

"Why not?" Jackson responded, approaching her from behind. "There's no reason for you to worry about it, Lisa. Just relax."

She froze when she felt his heat against her back. He gently pressed his lips to her shoulder, sending a shiver through her. Her heart pounded aggressively as she melted back against him. There were no more barriers between them now. They were alone…away from prying eyes…

She'd gone willingly into the lion's den.

"You wanted privacy, didn't you?" he murmured into her hair, sliding his arms around her waist.

It's true – she had wanted privacy, and he'd certainly given it to her. But in this moment Lisa found her apprehension building. Her desire for him was overwhelming, but the realization that this was real…that it was really going to happen…was surreal. Letting him kiss and touch her was one thing – letting him make love to her was something else entirely.

"You're shaking," Jackson whispered against her neck, his voice expressing more curiosity than anything else.

"Am I?" Lisa responded, finally realizing she could feel herself trembling. She was quickly ashamed, embarrassed to appear nervous about their impending lovemaking. "Sorry."

"What is it?" Jackson pursued. He turned her around to look at him, his intense eyes expressing a note of intrigue she wasn't expecting.

"Nothing," she answered in a purposefully light tone, reaching up to smooth the collar of his shirt. "I'm fine. Really."

Undeterred by her show of nonchalance, his eyes slowly moved over her face, studying her.

"I thought we were past you being afraid of me."

"I am _not_ afraid of you," she insisted immediately, straightening. "I want this. You know I do."

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, although his eyes still held doubt.

"Hmmm…" he murmured, reaching for her face and running a smooth thumb down her cheek. His eyes searched hers in a clear attempt to decipher her thoughts.

It struck her again that this was a man who just days ago had threatened a man's life, and now he held and caressed her with the touch of a lover. The honesty in his eyes didn't sync with one's usual perception of a cold-blooded assassin. Jackson was impossible to categorize.

Self-conscious, she broke away from his probing gaze and stared at his chest. She hated that he was able to read her so easily.

"It's just…" she began, letting her hands smooth up his abdomen, which was quickly becoming her favorite part of him. "I guess I just haven't done this in a while," she finally admitted, choosing not to add that the thought of making love to an assassin terrified her as much as it thrilled her.

Finally allowing herself to meet his gaze, she was greeted with a pair of perplexed blue eyes. He brought his face closer to hers.

"So you're saying you're nervous," he clarified, bringing a hand to her chin to prevent her from looking away again.

Her stomach tickled.

"No," she insisted at first, shaking her head, then rethought her answer. "Okay, a little."

He smiled.

"You are so fucking adorable," he murmured, kissing her again. "The only thing you could possibly do right now to fuck things up is leave," he added, running gentle fingers down her neck.

She laughed softly.

"Well you brought me here, so I couldn't even do that if I wanted to."

"Exactly," Jackson answered, pulling her in for another kiss.

Lisa accepted him, strangely touched by the gesture of reassurance. This intensity of the embrace escalated quickly, and she eagerly brushed her tongue against his. She felt his hand press against the small of her back, pressing them closer together, and his other hand tangled into her hair, pulling it loose from the pins.

He was finally hers…

Holding his jaw with her hands, she attempted to deepen the kiss, opening up to him as much as possible. Her heart thrashed with excitement and anxiety, and she couldn't get enough of him. She was afraid, but she wanted to open up to him...allow him inside. She let out a small cry of surprise when she felt her back press against a wall, and she heard Jackson groan with impatience.

The sound thrilled her, and she quickly reached up for his collar, pulling at it and holding him to her.

This time when his hands reached beneath the hem of her dress, she didn't resist him. His hands roughly grabbed at her thighs, squeezing handfuls of flesh and sliding over her curves.

Lisa moaned softly and pressed her mouth to his jaw, then down his neck, reveling in the feeling of the rough stubble beneath her lips. His scent enveloped her, and she could feel the intense beating of his heart and hear his quickened breaths. She was trapped between the wall and his body, and there was no place on earth she would rather be.

She froze when she suddenly felt his fingers begin very softly touching the outside of her panties. Her breath caught, and she realized he'd gone still as well. For a moment, there was silence.

"What do you want, Lisa?" Jackson whispered huskily, his fingers gently stroking her through the thin satin.

She released her breath and gave in to the fierce pounding in her ears.

"What do you mean?" she panted, clinging to him.

"I want to hear you say it," he insisted, lowering his head to her neck and pressing a soft kiss to the pulse inside her throat.

Lisa subconsciously leaned her head back, inviting him to explore more of her neck, as her mind reeled. What the hell was he talking about?

"What do you want me to do to you?" he explained further when she didn't respond.

She gasped when his fingers pressed harder against her, urging her to answer him.

"I want you to touch me," she breathed, shivering with arousal.

"I am touching you," he answered softly against her neck with a smile in his voice. "Where?"

"Jackson, please," she pleaded, her body exploding with need at the teasing touches he was giving her. It wasn't enough.

He was silent, waiting patiently for her to answer him, his fingers content to rub the outside of the satin.

"Bastard," she whispered against his shoulder, prompting a soft chuckle from him. So he had to be in control. Well, she could play his game.

She told him exactly where she wanted him to touch her.


	13. Chapter 13

**ATTENTION!**

**I want you guys to understand immediately that this is NOT a chapter update! I'm not adding to my story right now. But I think you'll find this is worthwhile anyway!**

**I wanted to share with you a fanvid I just made that goes with The Seat Beside Me, and I didn't know how else to share it with you all. (I was oddly inspired to make a video by Katy Perry's song **_**E.T.**_**) The storyline of the video is not exactly the same as TSBM, but I think it's similar enough to give you a visual to go along with it. **

**Because I don't think I can post URL's here, I'll put the link to the youtube vid **_**in my profile.**_

**Here's the description of the video:**

**_"I used screen shots from the movie Red Eye (starring Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy) to sort of create an alternate story, but it could be interpreted many different ways. Here is how I originally envisioned it: Jackson and Lisa meet as strangers on a plane. After talking for a while she realizes he's dangerous but is attracted to him anyway, and he talks her into meeting him in the airplane lavatory. After letting him have his way with her, she soon realizes what she's done and flees as soon as the plane lands. But Jackson, of course, isn't going to let her get away from him so easily."  
_**

**Please check it out! :-) I hope you like it, and I promise I'm going to update my story again!**

The thrill of this moment was beyond anything she had imagined.

She could hear her breaths coming in quick gasps whenever Jackson's lips would give her mouth a momentary reprieve. His fingers moved over her flesh in a gentle assault, in a way that suggested he was savoring it just as much as she was. While the stroking itself induced slow, intense pleasure, it wasn't just the touch itself that thrilled her. It was _him_…_his_ hands…_his_ desire for her. In a way, it brought a sense of relief, as if something that had been dying to happen was finally happening. At last, the powerful magnetism between them was no longer was being denied.

"Should we go…to your room?" she murmured breathily between kisses, vaguely aware that they had never made it out of the kitchen.

Jackson took his time in answering, and made no move to release her or move away from the wall.

"No," he replied simply, pulling her tighter.

He gripped the back of her neck with his free hand, his fingers tangled into her hair, his tongue exploring her mouth in the same way his fingers explored beneath her panties. The obvious intensity of his lust was overwhelming, and Lisa matched it, holding his face to hers and releasing the occasional involuntary whimper. The once-cool wall pressed against her back was beginning to blaze. Incredibly aroused, she pulled her mouth from his and pressed her lips to his neck, sucking at his stubbled skin.

He growled in response, and the intensity of his touch quickly increased. His fingers pushed unwaveringly into her, repeatedly and without mercy. Lisa let out a small cry with each thrust, the aggressive touch pleasurable yet painful at the same time.

"Jackson," she panted, a soft plea in her voice, when the hurt became too much.

He stopped at the sound of his name, then leaned his head back to look at her. The crisp blue of his eyes was nearly swallowed by dilated pupils, his lips open with heavy breathing. He looked so incredibly sexy to her she could barely stand it, and the look on his face expressed that he was ready to eat her alive.

Lisa swallowed. Well, maybe she'd let him…

"You're hurting me," she finally explained to his slightly inquisitive expression.

He studied her, then slowly removed his hand from between her legs.

Suddenly his fingers were around her throat. She gasped in shock as he held her head against the wall by her neck, not squeezing hard enough to cut off her air but just enough to show her who was in charge. She stared back at him with wide eyes and she felt panic grip her stomach, although she truly didn't know whether or not to be afraid.

Jackson surveyed his prey, up and down her body, his eyes virtually wild with lust, as she gasped beneath his grip.

He blinked at her when his eyes met hers again, quickly recognizing the fear in them. He softened slightly.

"Relax, Leese," he whispered as his fingers lessened their grip on her throat, although his hand remained. "You know I'm not going to hurt you."

Her heart thrashed in her chest, and she didn't respond.

"Well, not _that_ much…" he added with a slight smirk, leaning forward and running his lips across her cheek. It was a sweet gesture, a direct contrast to the hand still gripping her neck.

Still, the reassurance seemed sincere. Jackson just liked to play rough.

"Do you want me to slow down?" he sighed huskily into her ear, his body pressed against hers. She could feel the very outline of his obvious need move against her, making her mouth go dry.

The question seemed meaningless, as if asked as a formality. Of course she had to understand that Jackson would not be a gentle lover. She had wanted his dominance, this demonstration of authority. This was what she wanted from him – she'd practically begged for it.

"No," she said firmly, after brief deliberation. "Don't. Please." She stared into his eyes without hesitation, intent on making sure he understood.

Jackson smirked again slightly and studied her with glassy eyes, pleased with her answer, as his hand moved slightly against her throat. He brought his other hand up to meet it, gently squeezed, then slid both of his hands down her neck and across her bare collarbones and shoulders. He smoothed his fingers slowly down her arms, his eyes following their movements, then finally he gripped both of her wrists in his hands.

Lisa gasped when he suddenly lifted them and pressed them against the wall on either side of her head. Her first inclination was to pull her wrists from his hold, but he held them fast.

"Don't move," he hissed into her ear, pressing his body hard against hers, immobilizing her.

She tried to swallow the choke in her throat, but couldn't. The harsh pounding in her ears enveloped her, and the thrill in her stomach was almost unbearable. No, she most definitely would not move.

Apparently satisfied that she would obey, he released her wrists and pulled away from her slightly, letting his lips brush lightly over hers as he moved. Lisa kept her arms pressed against the wall above her, as ordered.

He reached for the left strap of her dress, gripping it with both hands, and deftly ripped it from its seam. Before she could protest, he promptly reached for the other strap and snapped it in two as well.

Lisa had a fleeting thought that her mother would probably be displeased that her gift had been destroyed, but that contemplation was quickly forgotten when she felt Jackson rip the garment down her body. Her arms absentmindedly dropped at the shock of cold air that suddenly hit her, and she looked down at him he stood again to his feet.

"Finally," Jackson breathed on his way up. "That dress was starting to piss me off."

Wrapping her in a tight embrace, he ran his hands brusquely over her bare skin. He kissed her fiercely and made quick work of her strapless bra, pulling it from her body.

She quickly drowned in the sensations of his mouth and hands on her skin. She cooed and sighed with pleasure as his lips kissed and nipped at her neck, her shoulders, her breasts, her ribs. Her arms held the back of his head, holding him to her, entwining her fingers into his brown locks as he traveled downward.

Jackson's slow worship of her body made her question any thought she'd ever had of not letting this happen. The many times she'd considered denying him…on the plane…in the alley…even in the car… It all seemed so foolish now. In some odd, sadistic twist in the universe, what was happening right now was meant to be. She was meant to make love to this man - this assassin…this criminal. This was right. There would be no more internal struggle for her. She would accept this for what it was…

_Fate_.

She froze when she felt Jackson pause at the base of her stomach, brushing his tongue lightly over the skin just above her panties. His fingers rested on her hips, pausing only slightly before ripping the satin down her legs.

A fresh wave of arousal struck her when he began to press gentle kisses to her lower belly, her hipbones, her thighs…

"Oh my god…" she murmured distractedly, sucking in a breath as he pressed a kiss to the delicate curve where her inner thigh met the rest of her body. She couldn't move…she could barely breathe… The hands that had been gripping the back of his head were now still.

She gasped and jolted when his lips finally pressed squarely against the place they had been teasing, and she felt Jackson grip her buttocks, bracing her, as his tongue finally slid against its intended target.

Lisa moaned and immediately felt her knees buckle. He gripped her hips to keep her upright, and she leaned heavily against the wall in an attempt to stay standing. Once she was somewhat stabilized, he began a slow, deliberate assault, tasting her repeatedly.

She cried out and absentmindedly grasped at the wall, looking for stability, weakened.

He slid his tongue over her again and again, then he finally pressed his mouth fully against her, kissing her body as he would her mouth.

"Jackson…Jackson…" she panted, lightheaded, as she dug her fingers into his hair.

He groaned in response, and intensified slightly before abruptly pulling his mouth away.

She immediately looked down at him, breathing heavily, her body throbbing with need.

"Jackson, please…" she pleaded when he didn't immediately continue. How could he dare tease her right now? To her severe disappointment, he slowly rose to his feet.

His eyes, although still intense with lust, seemed restrained and somehow calm. He gripped her at the waist, pulling her against him, again allowing her to feel his own need.

"Not like this," he said definitively, as if there would be no questioning him.

She studied him, then immediately realized what he meant. Her stomach tickled with expectation, and she suddenly realized with extreme displeasure that Jackson was still fully dressed.

What a selfish lover she was turning out to be.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N I keep forgetting, but I will not forget again! The brilliant Son-of-Puji made a lovely piece of artwork depicting a scene from this story:**

**http:/miraxterrik(dot)deviantart(dot)com/#/d35ilid**

**(Obviously you'll need to fix the URL before it will work.) It's amazing and I love it. Please check it out!**

**...**

**"I want you to stay the night…when you come..."**

Lisa pressed her mouth to his again, and her hands grabbed at the collar of his shirt, intent on removing it from his body as soon as possible. She pressed her lips to his throat, breathing him in as she struggled with the buttons. Her fingers were surprisingly deft considering the rush of blood that pulsed through every inch of her, making her insides quake.

Once the final button was unfastened, she released a sigh of near relief as she finally slid her fingers over bare skin. His stomach retracted slightly as she ran her hands over his taut abdomen, strong muscles beneath smooth skin. She stepped back slightly to take in the sight of him, pushing the fabric of his shirt aside and exposing his toned core.

Her eyes were instantly drawn to a large tattoo across his left rib cage. A bird. It was black, abstract…almost tribal looking. A bird of prey, perhaps? Intrigued, she ran her fingers across it, suddenly wondering why it was there and what it meant to him.

Distracted, she lifted her eyes to his but he quickly took hold of her face and rejoined their lips. The fierce massage of his mouth against hers brought her back into the present, and her hands on his abdomen began to move again. She found herself running her fingers along his belt, intending to tease him slightly before unfastening it.

Before it even met her fingertips, she remembered that there was still a weapon tucked at his back. She paused, hesitating, then in a snap decision decided to reach for it.

Jackson's body instantly stiffened and his hand whipped around to reach for the pistol before she could pull it from his belt. Their eyes met and she froze, her hand caught between his and the gun. His eyes had gone cool.

"_No_," he said firmly, his voice suddenly tight.

A tingle of fear pricked her stomach, afraid she had angered him.

"I'm sorry," she breathed, bringing her free hand to his chest in a gesture of apology. "I just thought…I could take it off for you."

He studied her, then softened, releasing her hand and pulling the gun from his belt.

"I don't want you to touch this," he affirmed, holding it away from her and looking intensely into her eyes to make sure she understood. "You're too…innocent…" He shook his head, trying to find the words. "That's not who I am right now…with you. …Do you understand?"

Her brow furrowed at his choice of words but she nodded, suddenly wondering what she had expected to happen when she pulled an assassin's weapon from its hiding place. She was upset with herself for seemingly ruining the moment.

Apparently satisfied that he'd made himself clear, Jackson left her and stepped away to place the gun on the counter. She watched in fascination as he finally pulled the unfastened shirt from his shoulders, his back to her, and tossed it to the floor. Lean muscles rippled slightly under his skin as he moved. Then he turned back toward her, stopping her heart with the look in his fierce blue eyes.

God, he was stunning.

Lisa's arms made a half-hearted attempt to cover herself, still slightly self-conscious of her nakedness in the lit room. Her heart pounded as his eyes watched her, the smallest part of her still feeling the need to protect herself from him.

"Mmm…" Jackson murmured, moving slowly toward her and unapologetically scanning her from head to toe. His tongue slid enticingly across his top lip, causing her body to throb with the memory it gave her. "Gorgeous, Leese."

With that he suddenly unfastened his belt, unzipped his jeans, and pushed them to the floor. Then before she'd barely gotten a chance to take in the sight of him, he reached for her again and aggressively pulled her to him.

"Oh god…"she breathed as he pressed his lips to her neck, nipping at her with his teeth and sliding his hands down her backside. He pressed them together, contouring her form to his. She moaned softly, the feeling of his hot, flushed skin against hers mind-numbingly lovely.

Their lips were close in an expectant kiss, but they were still for a moment, her gasping breaths the only sound in the room. The sweet, desperate feeling of expectation overcame her, and she almost didn't want to break this moment.

She gasped when he suddenly lifted her up, forcing her knees apart with his body. Realizing his intent, she attempted to wrap shaky legs around his waist, clinging to him. Once he had a good hold of her petite frame, his hands grasping her hips, he pressed her back against the wall, trapping her.

Jackson groaned as the intimate parts of their bodies met, and Lisa wrapped her arms around his neck to steady herself, her heart nearly pounding out of her chest.

Finally they were one.

..."_What's your name?"..._

Jackson's words from the plane came rushing back to her as if her life were flashing before her eyes. Her arms clung to his neck, her eyes squeezed shut, overwhelmed by what was finally happening.

_..."Would you rather I continue touching you or keep my hands to myself?"..._

His fingers dug into her hips as his body moved against hers, his breaths heavy against her neck.

..._"My god, you are so fucking beautiful..."..._

She realized she'd never felt more beautiful than she did at this point in time, right here, with him. Exposed, vulnerable, intimate… In a frenzy of lust, she'd given herself to him completely. But was this only lust? Did she actually _care_ for this man?

_..."I don't make a habit of getting involved with men that I have no future with."..._

Her eyes squinted and her brow furrowed at the memory of her own words, attempting to shut out the thought. As if reading her thoughts, Jackson slowed and brought his head back to kiss her.

"God, Leese…." he panted, not stopping. "You're so…I just…You're just so…_beautiful_…"

Their lips met again, and Lisa kissed him fiercely, touched that he seemed emotionally in tune with her, at least on some level.

_..."Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I'm even more attracted to you than you are to me?"..._

In a slight moment of reprieve, Jackson took tighter hold of her and pulled back from the wall. Holding her to him, he slowly crouched to the floor, laying her softly down on the hard wood. His weight was a beautiful thing to feel on top of her; something she'd wanted to feel since the day they'd met. It made her feel as though she fully belonged to him.

He resumed a rhythm, gently running his lips across her shoulders and breasts, causing her to feel cherished and desired.

Jackson lifted his head and took her breath away by looking her straight in the eye, his blue eyes ablaze with an intensity she had to fight to not look away from. His eyes still expressed possession, but the dominance she'd seen earlier had softened into something else. There was a warmth behind the lust in his eyes, an affection that seemed to run deeper than their brief affair could possibly mean to a man. She felt like he was revealing something she wasn't meant to see.

And she didn't trust it.

_..."This is a good way to get your heart broken…"..._

She finally tore her eyes from his, breaking the connection, and squeezed them shut. This was far too much.

_Stay in reality, Lisa._

She felt Jackson pause slightly, and she knew he'd noticed the subtle rejection. He quickly communicated his disapproval with a particularly brutal thrust, causing her to cry out. Her eyes quickly returned to his, and the dominant look in them had returned. Her mouth dropped as the intense pace didn't let up, but she didn't attempt to slow it. She tried to hold on to him for dear life until he reached up for her hands, grabbed her wrists, and slammed them against the floor near her head.

Her eyes widened at the sudden change in his demeanor, but she wriggled beneath him, quickly swept up in the quick intense pleasure he was causing. She felt her body embracing his, desperate for what he was offering.

"Is this what you want?" Jackson panted roughly.

Lisa, almost too lost for coherent thought, couldn't comprehend what he meant.

"Yes!" she breathed.

And she flew, Jackson with her, into the heavens.

Their mutual cries filled the air, and the sound was music to her ears. It was exquisitely beautiful, the culmination of absolute pleasure in the midst of flawed circumstances. It couldn't have been more perfect.

Earthbound once more, Lisa slowly became aware of the heaving breaths causing their chests to press against each other again and again. Jackson's head rested against her neck, his weight heavy on top of her.

As her mind began to clear, she was suddenly gripped with unwanted doubt. What would he do now that he'd gotten what he wanted out of her? Would he send her away? After the reality of what she'd just done began to sink in, would she even _want_ to stay?

Jackson slowly lifted his head, his hair mussed and matted to his forehead with sweat. The look in his eyes was soft, yet slightly guarded, and she lay still as he brought a hand up to brush a tendril of her own hair away from her eyes and behind her ear.

He didn't look like a man about to throw her out, but her heart still caught in her throat, waiting for him to speak.

He studied her, and affection lit his eyes.

"Let's get off this floor," he murmured, kissing her. He pushed himself up.

Relief and other indiscernible emotions flowed through her, but before she was able to fully push herself to her feet, Jackson knelt, slipping an arm around her back and beneath her knees, lifting her.

She didn't realize how spent her body was until she went limp in his arms, not even motivated to insist that she was perfectly capable of walking.

He wordlessly carried her toward the bedroom.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N Another chapter already, because hey, what the hell? **

Lisa panted and pushed her hair back out of her face, sinking back into the pillow. Her body still trembled, the aftershocks of ecstasy flowing through her. For a moment she felt whole – complete.

Jackson lay beside her, spent, exhaling his exhaustion as well. He'd made love to her a second time, and it had been no less exhilarating than the first. Despite her aching limbs and sore body, she never wanted him to stop. Being with him reached a pinnacle of euphoria she'd never experienced before.

"Leese," Jackson breathed, his voice low and breathy. "You're wearing me out."

She chuckled at the unexpected levity, enjoying the whispery sound of his voice.

"Well nobody's forcing you to do this," she countered with a light smirk, turning her head toward him.

There was a sated expression on his face and well-earned sweat on his brow.

"Oh yes they are," he sighed, turning on his side toward her. "Having a naked Lisa in my bed forces me to do a lot of things."

She smiled at the comment as his fingers began to gently brush over the length of her body. He lifted his head and began to place soft kisses on her face, neck, and shoulders. His fingers lightly caressed her breasts. Warmth washed through her at his gentleness, and she worked to simply enjoy it…not analyze it.

"Can we do it again?" Lisa whispered softly, staring up at the ceiling. The intimate touching was threatening to stoke her fires yet again.

Jackson chuckled.

"You're being greedy."

He unexpectedly placed an arm around her waist, pulling her to him.

Lisa accepted the embrace, resting her head on his chest, and stared at the wall as she lightly stroked his stomach with her fingers, trying to calm the fear and doubts that tortured her mind anytime she wasn't being distracted by Jackson's hands, mouth, or otherwise. She pushed them again from her mind, wanting to stay in the moment.

She looked around, realizing she was noticing the bedroom for the first time. The room was dark but light streamed in from the hall, allowing her some ability to see. It was pretty nondescript from what she could tell. The walls seemed a standard white, and the décor was basic and modern. Simple, like a hotel room. The only descript item in the room was the bed… large, deep, and soft. The dark linens were luxuriously silky against her skin, and she felt like she could stay in it all day…even if there wasn't an impossibly attractive man sharing it with her.

"Jackson…" she whispered, knowing she needed to ask him about something that had been bothering her. It had been stuck in the back of her mind ever since the alley, and the intimacy of this moment made her feel somewhat safe in asking. "How did you find me in the alley?"

He froze, and the stroking of his fingers stopped.

"Were you following me?" she asked softly when he didn't reply.

She was afraid he'd pull away from her, and that's exactly what he did. Sighing, he took his arm from her waist and sat up. He hesitated, muttering a curse and running a hand through his hair.

"Leese…" he scolded, his tone cross. "Does it really matter?"

"It matters to me," she answered quietly, resting her head on her elbow. She didn't want this reaction, but she probably should've expected it.

He looked down at her with a furrowed brow.

"Why do you have to question this? Why can't it just be enough that I came for you and we got to be together?"

She knew they were reopening deep wounds that had been nonsensically treated with a Band-Aid.

_Sex doesn't fix everything, Jackson._

"Because I want to be able to trust you," she answered, pushing herself up to a sitting position.

"I've never given you any reason not to trust me," he insisted, stiffening.

"Besides not telling me who you really are? And the real reason you were on that plane?"

"You _know_ why I couldn't tell you that." His tone was growing increasingly impatient.

"…and following me around Sydney after I'd told you to stay away because I was afraid of you?"

That stopped him. He regarded her with a baffled expression, and for a second she thought he might actually give her an explanation. Then he stood.

"No. You already know too much," he said definitively, shaking his head, and headed toward the door. "Just don't worry about it, Leese."

Lisa stared at him, wounded.

"So you'd rather I just believe you were stalking me?" she persisted, upset at the turn of the mood. She suddenly felt very naked and vulnerable in front of him, and considered reaching for a sheet to cover herself.

He stopped at the doorway and turned to face her.

"Godammit, Lisa," he growled, suddenly looking very tired. "I wasn't stalking you. It wasn't like that, okay?"

He looked at her like the matter had been resolved, then threw up his hands in frustration when she realized she was still waiting for more. Both hands raked through his hair.

"Look, you know what I do now, right? You understand the nature of my work. Well, you're just going to have to accept that there are some things I can't tell you. And that's just going to have to be good enough."

"Let me guess…'for my own protection'?" she muttered, feeling her frustration rising.

"Don't treat me like I'm being an asshole," Jackson commanded, his muscles tensing with his anger. "And yes. To protect you."

Lisa studied him, then looked down into her lap in resignation. She heard him sigh, then exit the room. He returned less than a minute later. Glancing up she saw that he was walking back toward her, now wearing the black jockeys that had been discarded on the kitchen floor. She looked back down and pulled her legs to her chest, gathering herself into a ball to cover her body.

"Leese…" Jackson said softly with a light scold in his voice, brushing his fingers across her cheek.

She met his eyes again with new resolve, hoping she was wearing him down.

"Jackson, I've spent the last eight days not knowing what to believe about you. But I still…wanted you…all that time." She may as well admit it to herself now. Even after she'd learned what he was, she still longed for him. "And now I'm here… " She gestured around the room, a little incredulous. "I let you bring me here, in spite of what I knew about you. And I want to trust you..."

He watched her, pensive.

"I need reassurance that this wasn't all a huge mistake."

For some reason this struck a chord with him, and his brow furrowed. Softening, he sat down beside her, and she allowed him to run his fingers through her tousled hair.

"I need to know," she insisted, holding his gaze.

The hand that had been stroking her hair fell to his lap, and she watched his lips press into a thin line. He looked away from her, sighed again, and ran another hand through his hair. Finally he met her eyes again, his expression resigned.

"Fine. I'll tell you," he acquiesced, reaching for her cheek again. "But before I do, I need you to understand that no matter what happens, I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Okay?"

Baffled, her brows knit together and she pulled her head back away from his touch.

"What are you talking about?" she breathed, her heart suddenly racing a mile a minute.

He hesitated a moment.

"Remember your old pal Dominic?"

She froze and stared at him, the blood draining from her face.

Dominic. The man from the café that had invited her to go dancing.

"How do you know about that?" she squeaked, her eyes wide.

"He's an associate of mine," he answered matter-of-factly.

Her jaw dropped.

"But why…how would he…I mean, he was so…"

"Nice?" Jackson prompted, watching her. "Yeah, he's good at that. It's kind of his trademark, actually. Getting anyone to trust him."

"But what would he want with me? Wait…did you _send_ him for me?"

"Of course not!" he answered quickly, straightening. "I wouldn't want him anywhere near you. I would never…"

He hesitated again, and Lisa curled herself into an even tighter ball, waiting for him to explain.

"Lisa..." he began, leaning toward her and touching her face again in an attempt to shield her from his words. "He was trying to get rid of you."

Whatever blood was left in her face drained completely.

"Why?" she rasped.

"Because he considers you a threat," Jackson shrugged, sitting back a little. "From what I was told, his intention was to lure you into a dark part of town and make you disappear." His expression darkened as he said the words.

She stared at him, attempting to swallow the choke in her throat.

"Is that why that man attacked me?"

"I honestly don't know…" he answered, shaking his head. "But more than likely it was some random asshole he hired to snatch you from the street so he could avoid getting his pretty little hands dirty."

She tried to digest this, her stomach swirling with shock.

"But how does he even know about me?"

Jackson suddenly looked furious, and it took her a second to realize the anger wasn't directed at her.

"The fucker followed me the night I came to your hotel room," he spat. "I was being careless. I should've known it wasn't safe to see you after all hell broke loose when the job went to shit, but I just….couldn't stay away..." She watched his jaw clench, her mind suddenly flashing to how hesitant he'd been to see her after their plane landed in Sydney. Now it all made perfect, horrible sense. "I shouldn't have snuck away and put you at risk like that. I was a fucking _moron_."

She stared at her lap, trying to remain calm, unable to process that she was now in grave danger because of Jackson's poor decision.

"So how did you find out he wanted to…get rid of me?"

"Grimes told me his plans," he answered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Most of the guys could give a shit that I'd met a woman on the flight over here, but Dominic decided we couldn't risk it, that me letting you know we were still in the city was too dangerous. So he decided to take care of it himself."

She felt herself going numb.

"Grimes overheard him telling one of the guys what he was planning to do with 'Rippner's new girlfriend'. He was fucking _laughing_ about it."

She was still listening to his explanation, but his voice had grown tinny in her ears. Her limbs felt bloodless and weak.

"Lisa, look at me," Jackson commanded, reaching for her chin. She hesitantly met his gaze. His eyes were colder than ice. "I _will_ kill him. I swear it."

The snarl in his voice sent a chill down her spine. It was the first time in her life she'd heard someone say they were going to kill a person and actually mean it.

"Are we safe here?" she asked after a long moment of silence, suddenly wondering as she glanced out the window.

"You're _always_ safe with me," Jackson asserted, grasping her jaw with both hands and looking intently into her eyes to ensure she understood. "Dominic would have to be a total idiot to try to get to you when you're with me, and he's not."

She still couldn't shake the sudden feeling that they were being watched, that there were people creeping outside. She glanced out the window again.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you," Jackson sighed, dropping his hands again. "I don't want you to be afraid. There's no reason for you to be, as long as you're with me. And I'll get rid of him. I swear it."

The ease with which he announced the impending murder frightened her, reminding her that that she had no idea what this man with whom she had made love was capable of. What the _hell_ had she gotten herself into?

"I don't want you to kill anyone," she pleaded, shaking her head. "Isn't there any other way? I haven't said anything to anyone…Can't you just tell him that? That I won't talk?" The idea sounded weak even to her own ears, but it was the only alternative to Jackson killing the man that she could think of at the moment.

He shook his head.

"Dominic's not the type to take anyone's word for it. There's absolutely no risk of you talking if you're dead, and I guarantee he won't stop until he's done what he thinks is necessary."

She stared at him.

"And don't think you're the only casualty of this operation, Lisa," he added, as if that should make her feel better. "That man disposes of anyone he deems as a threat to the company's safety. It's sort of…standard protocol."

A shiver went down her spine. She wondered how many others didn't have a Jackson around to save them at the last minute.

"And your other…'associates'… What about them?"

"They don't view you as a threat," he assured her. "Plus, they know what I'd do to them if they ever touched you." His features hardened as he spoke, obviously enraged by the very thought. "Dominic will wish he was so lucky."

Lisa squeezed her eyes shut, trying to dismiss the image of Jackson actually torturing someone. How could she stand being here with him if he was truly capable of something like that?

"Lisa…" he continued, softening. "This is my fault. And I'm going to clean it up. I swear I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."

"But if you knew this guy was after me, why were you going to leave me in the alley? After you'd stopped that man?"

"I wasn't really going to leave you," he explained. "Hell, you weren't even supposed to know I was there. That bastard in the alley fuckin' blew my cover."

His gaze turned toward the wall, staring at nothing, considering his next words.

"As you can imagine I wasn't too happy about being thrown out of your hotel room," he growled softly, freshly indignant at the memory. "But I knew you were in danger because of me…and I…I couldn't have that. After I found out what was going on I tried to find whoever was waiting for you before anything happened. But that obviously went to shit when he got to you first." Filled with fresh need to protect her, he gently touched an arm that was still tightly coiled around her legs. "And then…_this_ happened."

_This_. The mad dash to his hideout so they could...

She met his eyes, overwhelmed by all of the emotions they expressed. Anger, possession, concern, resolve, and that overwhelming _affection_. His regard for her was becoming extraordinarily evident, but the obvious intensity of his feelings, even after the fires of lust had been appeased, almost frightened her. Could she really trust the emotions of someone like him?

"Jackson…" she whispered. "Why do _you_ trust me?"

He blinked at her, then studied her as if he'd never considered it before.

"Why weren't you afraid I'd call the police?"

He cocked his head, contemplative.

"I think we both know why," he finally answered, touching her hair again.

_Because he knows I care about him._

Staring at him, Lisa quickly stifled the feeling of having a "moment" with him and allowed herself to become offended by his words. He believed her so enamored with him that she wouldn't dare report him to police, no matter what he had done? What had she done to inspire that kind of trust? Did he think she was _that_ lovesick?

_Sure, Jackson. Threaten, maim, kill…I'll never say a thing to anybody!_

Any rationally thinking person would've reported Jackson the moment they realized he was involved in such a plot. Yet she didn't, for reasons she still couldn't explain to herself without wondering if she'd gone insane. And even after she'd discovered what he was, she still allowed him to take her away and make love to her. Twice.

And now…finding out that her life was in danger? All because she'd been a complete and total fool ever since she'd laid eyes on this man? She'd allowed his disarming charm and handsome face to overpower her, drawing her deeper and deeper into danger. She knew getting involved with him…coming here at all…was a risk, and she'd taken it anyway.

She'd done this to herself. This was _her_ fault.

This man could not love her, and she could never…_should_ never…love him. She'd always known there was heartbreak at the end of this road, but now there was possibly _death_? What the _hell_ was she still doing here? Why was she still naked in this man's bed? It was time to snap out of it. This had gone entirely too far, and she was in so deep it felt like she was drowning. Well it was time to resurface.

"Maybe I _don't_ know why," she snapped, pushing herself off the bed and heading for the closet. She wordlessly yanked a long button-down shirt from its hanger and pulled it over her head and down her body. She turned to him with new resolve.

"Take me back. I want to go back into town now. Back to my hotel," she commanded, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Leese…" Jackson chided, rising to his feet. "Relax."

"Don't tell me to relax!" She was already losing her grip. "Please. I want to go back now," she reiterated. She hugged herself and realized she was trembling.

He looked coolly back at her.

"Well, I can't take you back yet. It's not safe."

"I can't stay here with you anymore!" she shouted, her hands tightening into small fists. "Don't you understand that? This is _wrong_. I was an idiot for coming here."

"Coming here tonight was the best decision you could've made in regards to your safety, Lisa. You're safer here with me right now than anywhere else in this city."

"Then take me straight to the airport," she pleaded, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "I'll fly right home."

"We can't risk it!" Jackson argued emphatically, growing exasperated with her. "Until that prick is dead, I don't want you out of my sight."

"You can't just keep me here," she reminded him, refusing to let the tears pour. "I'll just be extra careful until I fly home. I'll get a weapon or something. I can take care of myself."

"Lisa, you have no idea how dangerous this man is."

"More dangerous than _you_?"

She knew it was childish, like throwing a previously forgiven offense back into someone's face.

Anger quickly flashed across his handsome features, his hold on calm and logical arguments clearly growing more and more tenuous.

"I am no danger to you. You _know_ that," he reminded her, his jaw clenching.

The fierce protection in his eyes threatened to soften her toward him, making her forget why she so desperately needed to get out of here.

"You got what you wanted out of me, didn't you? Twice! Now just let me go!"

She choked on the words.

_That's right, Lisa. Imply that he was only in this to get laid._

His anger flashed again, but this time it wasn't restrained. She gasped when he quickly crossed the room over to her, grabbing her wrists and pulling her aggressively toward him.

"What makes you think I got even _close_ to what I want out of you?" he demanded, his eyes searing into hers.

She knew she'd hurt him, and it cut her much more than it should. She struggled halfheartedly against him, not wanting to take any pleasure in his nearness or risk faltering in her resolve.

"What more do you want?" she asked weakly as her limbs surrendered to his grasp, working to hold his gaze. And she wasn't being dramatic – the passion of his reaction truly made her question.

He studied her, running his eyes over her features with a furrowed brow. The anger in his features slowly lessened, the tightness of his jaw softening. Then she noticed a flash of something else in his eyes.

"Nothing you aren't more than willing to give," he finally answered, a light sneer in his tone.

He'd cut her right back.

Lisa's mouth dropped. She could tell by the quick change in his expression that he instantly regretted the words, but it was too late. Before she could control it, her hand lifted and flew toward his face, intending to slap him.

And as she half expected him to, he recaptured her hand before she could strike him. They both froze for a moment, regarding each other.

"Lisa…" Jackson murmured authoritatively, releasing her hand but quickly grasping her shoulders to make her look at him. "Listen to me. I know it probably sounds like I'm just trying to keep you here for my own reasons, but it's legitimately not safe for me to take you back into town right now. Please understand that. By now Dominic has learned that his little plan for you tonight fell through, and he'll be waiting for another opportunity."

"Fine," Lisa snapped, finally letting the tears pour. "I'll stay. For now." She pushed out of his hold. "Just don't touch me."

She walked around him and exited the room.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N It's been a while since I last mentioned how much my readers kick ass. I really do appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my sporadic chapter updates and leave reviews. So thank you! You make me happy, and keep me writing!**

Warm, steamy water flowed down her body, soothing her from the top of her head to the tips of toes. She'd already washed – twice – but she continued to let the water run, massaging her skin, rinsing away the anxiety. A hot shower offered a spot of normalcy, or simplicity, which was exactly what she needed right now. Even being in the generically designed bathtub helped her forget where she was.

The sting of their altercation just twenty minutes earlier still remained. Outrage bubbled through her yet again when she relived his words. She shivered with disgust with herself, that she'd let it go this far. A man implying that she'd eagerly fall at his feet at the utterance of any request – at his beck and call, no matter what. Even if he didn't mean it, it was still an entirely disgusting thing to say to her, especially so soon after they'd shared the most intimate of experiences. Although…perhaps it was just as evil of her to imply that his only goal in all of this was getting into her pants…

_Whatever. I had my reasons._

But of course, there were other things to worry about now other than her relationship with Jackson…if you could even call it that.

She couldn't let herself think too long about her current circumstances without fright beginning to choke her. A man was after her. She had to _think_, not panic. Panicking would get her nowhere. Handle one thing at a time. One step at a time. So what was the first step? She couldn't even leave without Jackson's assistance, unless she stole his car of course, which wasn't really an attractive option at this point. There was no first step without his help. She may not fear him personally anymore, but what he represented, and the people he associated with? Oh yes…she had every right to fear them. It chilled her to relive that chat with Dominic at the café. Learning what was truly behind those warm brown eyes was incredibly disturbing. But then again, Jackson had fooled her just as easily on the airplane. Handsome, charming, nonthreatening… She must be a terrible judge of character. Where the hell did they _find_ these guys?

Sighing, she finally turned off the water and reached for the towel waiting for her on the sink. It was white, fluffy, serviceable, and she slowly dried her hair and body, in no hurry to emerge from the bathroom. Surveying her flushed skin, she noticed several tale-tell signs that her body had just been ravished. Reddened skin mostly, and some tender areas that would probably bruise. She quickly wished to erase the marks.

Lacking in any other clean clothing, she pulled the long buttoned shirt over her head again, thankful that it mostly covered her butt and upper thighs. It was amazing how quickly she'd gone from not being about to get enough of Jackson's attentions to suddenly wanting to cover up in his presence. She glanced down at her bare legs and wondered if she shouldn't find some pants in that closet as well.

Opening the bathroom door slowly, she peered out into the empty hall and wondered where he was. The shower had been a nice escape, but it was time to face reality again. She couldn't do anything at this point without his help, even if he was technically part of the problem.

She carefully crept down the hall, not quite sure why she felt the need to be so quiet. She glanced in the living room she hadn't yet been introduced too, but it was empty. Heading back toward the bedroom, she found him sitting up on the bed, propped against the headboard, laptop in hand. His hair was freshly wet in flattened tendrils around his face, making it look longer than normal, and she realized he must've showered in another bathroom. Of course he looked achingly adorable with wet hair, which annoyed her all the more. And per usual, he seemed very focused on whatever he was doing, but he glanced up as soon as she entered the room. He immediately looked back down.

A few seconds past as Lisa waited for him to speak.

"Enjoy your shower?" he mumbled, still avoiding eye contact as his fingers flew across the keyboard.

She glared at him, despising him for treating the situation so lightly.

"Jackson…" she began, crossing her arms and leaning against the door frame. "We have to talk."

"About?" he asked nonchalantly, his eyes securely fixed on his work.

She wanted to claw his eyes out.

"What do you mean 'about'? Of _course_ I mean what we're going to do about this."

He abruptly slammed the laptop shut and finally looked at her. His eyes were reddened with fatigue.

"Not tonight," he said definitively, rising from the bed and laying the laptop on the nightstand. He was dressed solely in a dark pair of pajama pants, his toned torso exposed and threatening to distract her.

"Why?" Lisa demanded, nonplussed. What was the point of waiting?

"Because I'm exhausted. _You're_ exhausted. We should sleep," he reasoned, approaching her slowly. "We'll deal with this tomorrow."

She was wide-awake and it felt like her heart would never stop its intense pace. However, it _was_ late, so maybe it was a good idea to sleep on this and wake up fresh and ready to face it in the morning. So, bedtime. But he should know better than to think…

"Fine. Where am I sleeping?"

He studied her, and frustration darkened his eyes. She realized he was probably hoping they would make up and she'd want to sleep in his arms or something, but that was simply not happening.

"Leese," he murmured, stepping closer. She could see by his expression that he intended to change her mind. She backed away from him, determined to maintain the distance between them, physically and emotionally.

His brow furrowed at her reaction. He brushed his eyes from her head to her toes and back again, drinking her in, clearly longing for her again. She could barely remain standing when he looked at her like that, but she knew her willpower right now would see her through any attempt he might make to seduce her again.

"I'll crash on the couch," she said quickly, turning away from him and heading down the hall.

He didn't argue with her.

Lisa stared at the vaulted ceiling of the unfamiliar living room, smothered in blankets on the oversized leather couch. Jackson had provided bedding and pillows before wordlessly heading back to his own bedroom. It'd made her wince, that dismissal, although she knew it was for the best. But regardless of all the reasons she shouldn't let him close again, it wasn't inherent to process being so intimate with someone then so distant within a matter of minutes.

She cuddled into the soft blankets and attempted to relax, taking deep breaths and trying to clear her mind of all anxious thoughts. Don't think of Dominic…don't think of Jackson…don't think about what's going to have to happen within the next day or so….don't _think_.

Her eyes traveled the dark room, looking but not really seeing. She listened to the noises of the night. Crickets and wind and the random creaks and moans of the house. As her mind wandered against her will, she suddenly realized how truly vulnerable she was out here by herself. What would keep someone – Dominic – from sneaking in and smothering her in her sleep while Jackson dozed in a room down the hall? Yeah, he said he would protect her, but what if she couldn't even scream to alert him that there was danger? Surely someone like Dominic knew how to enter a house undetected, security system be damned. How did she know he hadn't followed them back here, and had been lying in wait for the opportune moment? She realized she was beginning to panic again, but she couldn't help it. Jackson had said Dominic was too smart to attack her when she was with him, but could she really trust that? If this man was that intent on getting rid of her, how could she trust anything?

Lisa pulled the blankets more tightly to her neck, her eyes relentlessly scanning the room. Suddenly every creak and moan of the house was Dominic. Every shadow was Dominic. She couldn't even bring herself to look out the window for fear of seeing his face.

She wanted Jackson.

The lingering sting of their recent altercation threatened to keep her on the couch, but she realized how senseless it was to be proud at this point. Pride could get her killed. Throwing the blankets off, she practically bolted down the hall for the bedroom. She swung the door open without knocking.

"_Jackson_," she breathed, desperately searching for his outline in the dark room. He stirred immediately.

"Lisa," he said groggily, sitting up. "What's the matter?"

She stared at him dumbly, hand still grasping the doorknob. How could she explain herself without sounding nonsensical? Her mouth opened and closed a couple times, unable to speak. When she didn't answer for a long moment, he pushed himself off the bed and approached. She was so relieved to be in his presence again she didn't think to back away when he came close.

"Tell me what's wrong," he commanded, crossing his arms. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened," she said quickly, shaking her head and running both hands through her hair. "I just…"

He watched her, waiting.

"I just don't feel...safe…in there."

His posture noticeably relaxed when she finally explained, but he didn't respond, and part of her was thankful he didn't suggest the obvious. She worked to swallow her pride, knowing he would probably take her next question the wrong way.

"Can I stay in here with you?" As much as she wanted distance between them, she had to admit to herself that this was probably the only way she was going to be able to sleep tonight.

He chuckled softly.

"What do you think?" he asked, turning back toward the bed. He headed for it, apparently expecting her to follow him. "It wasn't my idea for you to stay out there in the first place, remember?"

"Thank you," she replied, relieved, although she knew there was probably no way in hell he would've refused her. "I'll go get my bedding."

"What the hell for?" he immediately snapped.

She paused, studying him.

"I was going to sleep on the floor," she explained like it was obvious.

"Lisa," he scolded, the darkness mostly sparing her his annoyed expression. "You are _not_ sleeping on the floor."

"Yes, I am."

"If you're sleeping in my bedroom you will sleep in my _bed_."

"Fine," she said, crossing her arms. "Then _you_ sleep on the floor." With that she turned from him to retrieve the bedding from the couch, quickly gathering it up in her arms. When she returned to the bedroom Jackson surprised her by immediately grabbing the blankets from her arms and throwing them down.

"Do I really need to explain to you all the reasons this is ridiculous?" he grumbled, reaching for her waist and pulling her to him. "You don't really want this." She immediately stiffened, turning her face away from him, not answering. She would not give into this. It didn't matter how amazing he smelled, or how she could feel the heat radiating from his body. The same body that had been pressing her into a mattress just an hour before.

"Leese…" he murmured softly. "Look at me."

She slowly turned her head to face him, finally making eye contact. She could see the disapproval in his eyes, but it wasn't enough to deter her. She shouldn't even _be_ here anymore. And she'd be damned if she was going to let him keep her here against her will _and_ make all the rules.

"I asked you not to touch me," she reminded him, her brow furrowed with the effort it took to say the words. "Let me go."

The words visibly cut him, and he immediately dropped his arms and stepped away from her.

"Take the bed," he ordered crossly, reaching down and gathering the bedding from the floor.

She wanted to argue, to insist that she was perfectly fine sleeping on the floor just as she'd suggested, but she didn't want to contradict him again. Pausing for a moment, she watched him spread the blankets on the carpet near the bed. Not looking at her, he laid down on top of them, pulling a blanket to his neck and turning on his side, facing away from her.

Seeing him curled up on the floor suddenly racked her with guilt over kicking him out of his own bed, but it didn't feel right to say anything. She finally crawled up onto it, trying to ignore how much the scent of it reminded her of their recent dalliance. She nuzzled into the silken sheets.

"Jackson?" she whispered after several moments of silence.

"Yeah?"

She hesitated.

"…thanks."

She heard him sigh.

"No problem," he answered dismissively, audibly readjusting his position beneath the blankets.

Her anxiety wasn't gone completely, but she felt unquestionably more secure in his presence than out there in the living room alone. She tried to convince her body to relax. Tomorrow, she would face the daunting challenges before her. There was nothing that could be done tonight; she needed to rest.

Lulled by inadvertent thoughts of the way Jackson breathed when he kissed her, she finally fell asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

Lisa tossed and turned in the bed, half-asleep, drifting in and out of dreams. Throughout the rough sleep she'd become vaguely aware of where she was, the scent of the room or the feel of the silky sheets reminding her, and her heart would lurch slightly, then she would fall back asleep. The anxiety wasn't completely gone, but had dissipated enough to allow her at least _some_ sleep.

At one point after yet another quickly forgotten dream Lisa awoke abruptly. She blinked a few times and realized it was still quite dark, the room was quiet, but something just felt _off_. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up slightly to check on Jackson. She blinked in confusion at the empty blankets on the floor near the bed, then startled when she saw his form facing the window, very much awake. He was looking intently out into the night, his body language alert. The muscles of his back and sides were tensed. But what stood out most was what he held in both hands, pointed toward the floor: a pistol.

She gasped at the sight of it, quickly filled with terror that there was danger. Hearing her, Jackson turned his head, clearly perturbed that she was awake.

"What's wrong?" she whispered harshly, subconsciously curling herself into a ball beneath the blankets and pulling them up to her chin. "Is someone out there?"

"I don't know," Jackson replied, looking back toward the window and not relaxing his hold on the gun. "Something woke me."

She stared at him, eyes wide, her heart immediately pounding heavily in her chest.

"What should we do?" she squeaked, wishing he would just say he's sure it's nothing and go back to bed.

He turned back toward her, clearly frustrated.

"_You're_ not going to do anything. _You're_ going to go back to sleep," he told her, taking another glance out the window. "I would've woken you if anything was really going on."

She nodded slowly, seeing the logic in that, but there was little comfort in his words.

Seeing that she wasn't relaxing or making any attempt to lie back down, Jackson approached her, holding the gun away from her.

"Are you shaking?" he asked, baffled.

She looked down and realizing she was in fact trembling slightly.

"No," she insisted, forcing herself to be still.

"Leese, I can handle this. You don't need to be so scared."

"I know, I can't help it," she countered. "I mean, wouldn't _you_ be afraid if someone wanted to kill _you_?" Her eyes widened when she immediately realized how foolish the question was. God, look who she was talking to.

"Listen," he whispered, reaching for her chin. He lifted her head so she would look at him, again defying her demand that he keep his hands off her. "Stay here. I'm going to step out and make sure we don't have any visitors." He released her chin, but she immediately grabbed his hand and wouldn't let go. He was really going to leave her here by herself?

"_Wait_," she insisted, her mind racing, trying to figure out a way to keep him here. "I'll go with you."

"No," he ordered. "If someone _is_ out there, you're safer in here for now. Just stay in bed. I'll be back in a minute, I swear."

Realizing his mind was made up, she nodded and released his hand. He'd only be gone for a minute. He'd be back soon. Everything was fine. There was probably no immediate danger to begin with. Right?

"Here," he said after a brief moment of hesitation, holding the pistol out to her.

She stared at it.

"I can't," she whispered, bemused. What the hell did he think _she_ was going to do with a gun? Impatient, he grabbed her hand and thrust the gun into it, and she gasped at the sudden weight of it.

"You won't need it," he assured her. "But it'll make _me_ feel better if you keep it."

She gingerly ran shaking fingers over the metal grooves and tested the feel of the trigger, wondering if she could really pull it if she had to.

"Okay," she whispered. Holding something so deadly sure didn't make _her_ feel any better.

Leaning down to her, he placed a light, affectionate kiss on her forehead. "I'll be right back."

She felt an overwhelming emptiness, vulnerability, when he finally moved away from her and disappeared in the dark hallway. Several quiet moments passed. Her eyes scanned the room and the hall, her ears straining for the sounds of Jackson moving throughout the house. There was only silence.

Her fingers embraced the cold metal in her hands, realizing it did give her the slightest feeling of power, that maybe she could defend herself if need be. She hated feeling so vulnerable without him, and found herself searching for her own courage. Yes, she'd gone through some shock, but when were her strength and her sense of self-preservation going to kick in? Where was self-reliant, don't-fuck-with-me Lisa?

Suddenly it occurred to her that Jackson wasn't only defending them from Dominic; of course he also had to be wary of the Australian authorities. God, she was so egocentric, thinking this was all about her. He was being hunted as well, undoubtedly at this very moment. What if police were outside? What if Jackson was arrested and sent to jail? What even happened to people who attempted assassinations in Australia? Her mind raged with thoughts of Jackson being captured. Despite everything, she absolutely couldn't bear it.

Swiftly furious at the thought of someone stealing him from her, she threw the blankets off herself. Sitting in bed wasn't going to help anything, and she was tired of feeling so powerless. She hit the floor softly, her body teaming with adrenaline. She gripped the pistol in her hands, choosing to keep her shaking fingers off the trigger…for now. Warily creeping toward the open window, she peered into the darkness. What the hell had he been looking at? She couldn't see a damned thing out there.

She gasped and jumped when she heard a creek from somewhere down the hall. Startled, she immediately lifted the gun and shakily pointed it in the direction of the noise, carefully approaching the door. She wanted to call Jackson's name, see if he was close, but of course that would alert whoever might be out there. Her heart thrashed. She searched for something…_anything_…her eyes searing into the dark hallway.

Several quiet moments passed, so she lowered the gun, her ears straining for any other sounds. This was taking way too long. Where the hell _was_ he? What if they'd taken him? What if he was already gone?

Startled by another noise from the hall, she gasped and reflexively pointed the gun again. She tried desperately to calm herself and stop the trembling, and she slowly entered the hall, her weapon raised and ready.

_Let it be Jackson let it be Jackson let it be Jackson…_

"Lisa!" he shouted, spotting the weapon. She instantly lowered it, relief exploding through her at the sight of him. "What the fuck? What the hell are you doing?" he demanded, approaching and taking the gun away from her.

Forgetting herself, she threw her arms around his bare waist.

"I'm sorry," she panted into his chest, squeezing him. "I just thought you were…oh my _god_…"

He pushed her away, not returning the embrace. "I didn't give you that gun so you would turn into a fucking vigilante," he barked. "I told you to stay in bed."

"I'm sorry," she repeated, still so relieved to see him she didn't care enough to argue. She wanted to smother him with kisses, the sudden fear of losing him reigniting her need to be close to him. "I wasn't thinking. I was just afraid that…" She hesitated. What the hell was she planning on doing with that gun even if the police _had_ found Jackson? Shoot at them until they went away? She shook her head. "Forget it. Did you find anything?"

"No," he answered after a deep breath, his frustration dissipating. He walked back into the room to place the gun on the nightstand. "False alarm. No one's out there."

She sighed her relief, following him. So no police. And no Dominic. At least for now.

"Thank you…for looking," she said softly, raking her hands through her hair, trying to relax.

"No problem." He regarded her for a moment, hesitated, then reached for her and pulled her into another embrace. Her heart warmed and she squeezed him tightly. "I hate…_hate_…to see you so afraid," he murmured into her hair. Lisa's fingers hesitantly brushed the taut muscles of his back and soon found herself enjoying the feel of him a little _too_ much, her mind flashing to what his skin had tasted like when she'd pressed kisses to his body earlier tonight. She quickly reminded herself that this hug was absolutely not allowed to evolve into sex, and she subconsciously stiffened in his arms. He didn't notice or chose to ignore it. "Why can't you just trust me?" he continued.

"I'll work on that," she whispered into his chest, causing him to chuckle. A part of her desperately wanted him to flat out defy her orders and just kiss her, but he released her from the hug and moved away.

"I'll be right back," he mumbled, heading to the bathroom adjoining the bedroom and flicking on the light. He shut the door behind him.

Lisa stood dumbly near the bed, trying to collect herself. She had to stop questioning the boundaries she'd set for herself concerning Jackson. The boundaries were there for a reason, even if it was difficult to remember that reason when he was giving her that _look_ or wielding a weapon like it was an extension of his arm. And when he was so protective of her…

_God. This is so _hard_._

Staring at the sad little makeshift bed on the floor, she found herself quickly smothered with guilt that she'd kicked him out of his own bed. This man was taking care of her. Hell, he didn't _have_ to do any of this. In fact, it would make a lot more sense if he were long gone and out of the country by now. Yet he'd chosen to stay and protect her. And she was selfishly snuggling into a soft mattress while this man slept on the cold, hard floor? Despite everything, he absolutely did not deserve that.

Jackson emerged from the bathroom and looked at her like he couldn't comprehend why she was still standing erect.

"You should go back to sleep," he told her, heading for his palette on the floor.

"Take the bed. Really," she whispered, knowing he'd probably refuse her. "I'll sleep on the floor."

He eyed her inquisitively, then bent down to situate his blankets before lying down. "Go to bed, Lisa."

"No," she insisted, standing her ground. "It's yours."

"You're making way too big a deal out of this," he grumbled, clearly tiring of this back and forth game she was playing with him. "The only way I'm getting back into that bed is if you're in it."

She stared at him.

"I…I shouldn't…"

Well, perhaps that _could_ be doable. It was a large bed, and maybe she could keep her distance…

Taking her hesitation to flat out refuse him as an apparent invitation, he quickly approached and grabbed hold of her. He lifted her up, gathering her into his arms, and she cried out and wriggled in his grasp.

"Let me go!" she shouted, pushing at his chest. "Put me down!"

He carried her and abruptly dumped her on the mattress, then pushed her over so he could lay down himself. Before she could wriggle off the bed, he hooked an arm around her waist, trapping her against him. His clean, masculine scent instantly surrounded her.

"This is _not_ what I had in mind," she growled through gritted teeth, exasperated. She tried to keep her distance, not wanting to feel his heat against her back. Her body immediately responded to his touch, and she had to get away from it.

"Sure it is," Jackson said plainly, clearly not affected by her show of indignation.

"Let me go," she ordered again, desperate for distance. "I promise I won't leave."

His arm immediately released her, allowing her to move away from him. She scooted to the farthest inch she could spare on the opposite side of the bed, leaving a good foot or two of space between them.

There was a moment of silence.

"Do you normally have this much trouble sleeping in the same bed as a man you just slept with?"

Her mouth dropped.

"_What_?"

"I'm just saying," he continued with a light chuckle. "This doesn't seem normal."

She sat up, absolutely incensed.

"First off," she fumed, "Don't say 'a man you just slept with' like I go around sleeping with a bunch of men…"

"That's not what I meant, Leese…" he insisted, pushing himself up a sitting position as well.

"_Secondly_, I don't have any trouble sleeping in a bed with someone. I just can't sleep in the same bed as_.._.as…."

"Me?" he prompted.

She hesitated.

"Yes," she admitted.

"Why?" he asked, his voice clear of anything but curiosity.

"I don't…trust myself," she said after a moment, subconsciously tossing a glance at his lean, sculpted chest and wishing she could reach out and touch him.

"So you're afraid you're going to sleep with me again," he said simply.

She felt her face heat as she looked away.

"You're afraid I might try something, aren't you?"

Before she could respond, he quickly reached for her face and leaned his head in. His lips pressed to hers. She gasped at the contact and immediately tried to pull away, but his hand held her face to his. His tongue gently coaxed her lips open, and she felt herself responding to him. God help her, she couldn't help it. Groaning softly, she tentatively kissed him back, her body instantly alive. Little sparks fired beneath her skin. One of his hands slid over his waist, then down her hip and against her bare leg, and his kiss deepened. She felt her control slipping away, and it terrified her, but she couldn't seem to stop. Now knowing what pleasures awaited her with him made it all the more difficult to push him away. Then she felt both of his hands grip her waist, and he abruptly pulled down, forcing her to lie down. Lisa cried out as he slid her beneath him, his body pressing against hers.

"Stop!" she cried, quickly brought back to reality. She pushed at him and he allowed her to sit up. The places on her body that his hands had been were instantly cold. "Don't do that to me again," she ordered, trying to catch her breath.

Attempting to recover himself, Jackson wiped at his mouth and studied her.

"You know, whatever reasons you have for keeping your distance, it's not going to fix anything. You're depriving yourself of something you want for no reason. This is ridiculous."

"I have reasons. _Good_ ones," she countered, hoping she was coherent enough after their little interlude to articulate them.

"Care to share?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Does that matter?"

She looked at him skeptically. He could probably reason away any explanation she gave him. He was good at that – justifying anything.

"This entire situation that I'm in…with that man after me…is all because of _this_."

He didn't respond, so she went on.

"I wouldn't even be in this situation if I'd had enough sense to say no to you."

"This fate was sealed the moment Dominic decided to follow me to your hotel room, Lisa. That wasn't your fault."

"It _was_, though. Don't you get that? Why was I even agreeing to meet a stranger at my hotel room in the first place? I was practically begging for trouble."

He smiled at her.

"Such a good girl," he chuckled, his voice affectionate rather than condescending. She realized how incredibly high-churchy moral that must sound to someone like him.

"I don't expect you to understand," she added softly.

"Understand what? Regretting a decision?'

"No, understand why I can't do this with you anymore. How every decision I've made since the moment I met you has only led to trouble. I have to nip this in the bud before things get worse." She felt tears prick her eyes, her heart not syncing with the words coming out of her mouth.

He regarded her, his pale eyes watching her in the moonlight. It was so difficult to run her eyes over his handsome features and stand her ground. While she was ignoring her hormonal impulses, they were still putting up quite the fight.

"So you're blaming what's happening on the fact that you were attracted to me and acted on it?"

It sounded silly when he put it that way, and she hated it.

"It's not that simple."

"And now the way to fix the problem is rejecting me, even though I'm the one who's trying to keep you safe?"

She hesitated, dropping her gaze. It was a little easier to keep him at arm's length when she thought of him as a dangerous criminal she needed to stay way from, not a man who cared for her enough to protect her. She couldn't even imagine the risks he was taking, turning on his own colleague.

"Why _are_ you doing this?" she asked, searching his eyes.

"Why did _you_ come home with me tonight despite what you knew about who I was and what I do?"

She went still at the forward question. Why _did_ she? Hormones? Lust? The heat of the moment? Perhaps, but she knew it was more than that. Something intangible…indescribable. Something she wanted to keep stuffed down inside and not acknowledge.

"Exactly," Jackson stated, apparently deciding her moment of silence was answer enough. "Don't think I'm not questioning my decisions concerning the last several days just as much as you are, Lisa. People in my line of work don't do stuff like this. It's too risky. Hell, none of this shit we're dealing with right now would be happening if I'd just had the sense to keep my fuckin' distance. But guess what? I don't blame you at all. In fact, _I still want you_."

A sharp tickle ran from her chest to her stomach at his words. She'd have to be completely heartless to not be affected by those words.

"We're in this together, Lisa," he continued, reaching out and twisting a tendril of her hair between his fingers. "You pushing me away like I disgust you isn't really helping either of us, is it?"

Her eyes began to water, suddenly feeling a twinge of guilt at her behavior earlier that night, and she dropped her gaze. What he said made sense, but she couldn't let him so close again. She just _couldn't_. But there had to be a middle ground between mindless sex and totally stiff-arming him.

"You don't disgust me," she replied, reaching for his hand and holding it in her own. "Far, far from it." She smiled softly at him.

He regarded her, then leaned forward to kiss her, clearly believing the barrier between them had been removed.

"Jackson," she whispered, stopping him. He paused, hovering close. She took a breath, thrown off by his nearness. She couldn't give him what he wanted, but she wanted to say something that would keep him from feeling like he'd been rejected again. "I still want you, too." Her mouth went dry as she said the words. "But I just can't…do this. Right now."

He studied her, apparently waiting for a further explanation, but she had none to give. It was what it was.

"So are you going to kick me out of the bed again?"

She laughed, wiping a stray tear from her eye. "No. Stay," she told him, brushing her fingers across his jaw line. Then turning away from him, she lay down and curled into the blankets. She felt him lie down as well, then hook his arm around her waist to pull her against him. She stiffened at first, then softened when she realized he wasn't pursuing anything further. The warm, solid plank of his body against hers was comforting, and truly just what she needed at the moment. After several minutes of turning the words of their conversation over and over in her head, she finally fell into a deep sleep.


End file.
